What It Is To Burn
by SkyWarrior108
Summary: DISCONTINUED. What if Zuko was the favored child of Ozai and Azula was not? Mostly Azula-centric. So far, pairings include Maiko and Yukka, but are not a central focus of the story. Inspired by kitsuK8's "Good Azula" and "Evil Zuko" oekaki sketches on deviantART.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** So I was wandering around deviantART the other day and came across two oekaki sketches by kitsuK8: "Good Azula" and "Evil Zuko." I was then inspired to write this fic.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own _Avatar: The Last Airbender_. However, I do own this story. Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 1**

The biting arctic air whipped against Princess Azula's face. Her hands gripped the cool metal railing of her ship's deck as her golden eyes took in every detail of the icy, oceanic landscape. It was getting dark and her crew would soon stop for the night, but right now she wanted to put as much distance between herself and the Fire Nation as possible.

"Azula," a voice called from behind her. She heard the quiet fall of footsteps coming closer, but did not turn to look—instead choosing to keep her gaze out over the water. A warm hand fell on her back, as its owner came to stand beside the Princess and looked at her imploringly. "The cook just finished making a delicious roast duck."

"I'm not hungry, Ty Lee," she replied, casting the girl a sideways glance.

"You haven't eaten all day."

"I told you, I'm not hungry!" Azula snapped. She then quickly turned on her heels and made a straight line for her cabin, slamming the door behind her.

Ty Lee sighed and silently padded down the steps, heading for her own cabin. Things had only gotten worse over the last few weeks. Azula would barely talk to the crew, instead choosing to spend all her time on deck either training or staring out over the sea. The acrobat knew why she was avoiding them, and tried to get her to talk about what was bothering her. She had done everything from confronting her to cajoling her, but nothing worked.

Azula sat down heavily on her bed, running a hand through her long, black hair. It wasn't as soft as it used to be, but certain luxuries simply couldn't be afforded anymore. She caught a glance of herself in the mirror before quickly looking away. She closed her eyes and unconsciously brought her left hand up to her face. Her fingers brushed lightly against her cheek. The skin was rougher there. Scarred. _"Don't cry,"_ she told herself, dropping her hand and clenching it into a fist, willing the tears not to fall.

A year ago today, she had been banished from the Fire Nation with nothing more than an old steam ship, a crew consisting of a dozen firebenders, her best friend, and a hopeless quest—to capture the Avatar, who hadn't been seen in over a hundred years. She wasn't stupid. She knew her father was looking for any excuse to be rid of her. He had hated her since the day she was born.

* * *

"_Prince Ozai," the doctor began gravely._

_The prince glanced down at his young son—all of two years old and playing on the floor with wooden blocks—before getting up from his seat._

"_Is everything alright?" he asked, bringing his gaze to meet the doctor's, a worried expression overtaking his features._

"_I'm afraid there has been a complication. Princess Ursa has suffered from severe blood loss while in labor. She has gone into hypovolemic shock. She isn't going to make it."_

_Ozai's golden eyes flashed with anger as he grabbed the doctor by the front his shirt and shook him. The prince was known for his short, violent temper._

"_Please, your highness," the doctor pleaded. He could feel the heat emanating from Ozai, his collar now smoking slightly from the prince's grip. _"_We've done everything we can."_

"_That's not good enough," he growled before swiftly ending the doctor's life with a fire dagger to the heart._

_

* * *

One week had passed and Ozai had still refused to lay eyes on his newborn child. If not for Fire Lord Azulon, for whom the child was named, he would have had her destroyed._

"_Don't you want to see your daughter?" Prince Iroh asked his brother, who was sitting by the courtyard's pond morosely._

_Ozai didn't answer him. He didn't even so much as look at him. The older man sighed and took a seat beside him. He knew his brother had always been stubborn, selfish, and more than a little cruel—it was due to his inferiority complex, Iroh had reasoned—but even this was above and beyond for him._

"_Ozai, Azula is your child and she needs you."_

"_Don't lecture me, Iroh. I'm not in the mood for your nonsense."_

"_What nonsense? How can you be so cruel?"_

"_It's all her fault that I lost my wife. If it wasn't for her, Ursa would still be here!" he snapped, his eyes darkened by rage._

"_How can you say that, Ozai? She is only a child."_

"_If you care so much, then why don't you take care of her?!" Ozai shouted, jumping to his feet before storming back into the palace._

_Iroh looked after him sadly; hoping that eventually his brother would come to his senses, but inwardly dreaded that he would not._

* * *

Like every day before today, Azula woke at the crack of dawn. There was a comfort she found in rising with the sun—a kind of solar sympathy. The sun did not judge or hate her. The sun nourished and strengthened her.

Stepping out onto the deck, the air around her fogged with each breath that she took. Dropping into her firebending stance, she began to move through her katas one by one, slowly increasing the difficulty as her body began to wake up, allowing her chi to flow more smoothly.

As she came to her final movement, she pointed the index and middle fingers of both hands, circling her arms and drawing them in toward her heart. Then, stepping forward with her right leg, she sent her right arm out, unleashing a powerful bolt of blue lightning.

"I don't think I'll ever not be amazed by your lightning bending," she heard Ty Lee say from behind her.

Azula turned to look at her friend. It amazed her that the girl always managed to keep a smile on her face, no matter how dire things seemed to be.

"Are you feeling better today, Azula?"

"A bit," she replied. "Listen, about last ni-"

Azula stopped talking suddenly, her eyes catching something to the south that distracted her. Ty Lee turned to see a huge shaft of white blue light shooting straight into the heavens. After a few seconds, the light dissipated.

"Now that was amazing! I wonder what it was," Ty Lee said.

"Whatever it was, it came from a powerful source," Azula realized.

"A powerful source? Do you think it's the Avatar?" Ty Lee asked excitedly.

"I don't know. There's only one way to find out," Azula replied, trying not to get her hopes up. At least it was something to do, she told herself. Turning back to the ship's helmsman she ordered, "Set a course for the light!"

* * *

A flare shot up in the air followed by a loud boom, grabbing the attention of all on board the princess's vessel. Azula brought her spyglass up to her eye and looked toward the direction the flare had come. There she saw two figures—more specifically, one figure holding another—hopping down from the remnants of an old Fire Nation battleship trapped in ice and onto the frozen terrain of the South Pole. _"Well, that certainly looks like an airbender. Could it really be him?"_ she thought to herself.

They were heading west, she realized, and so she shifted her gaze in that direction, where she spotted a small Water Tribe village. _"Has this been where he's been hiding all these years? How did the Southern Raiders not notice him?"_

"Helmsman, steer the ship to that village," Azula commanded, pointing in its direction. _"I've found him. I've found the Avatar."_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The metal Fire Nation ship was bearing down on the ice wall that was meant to serve as a barrier between the small Water Tribe village and the ocean. On top of the wall stood a lone warrior. He hadn't seen the ship yet, due to a thick covering of mist, but he was very much aware of its oncoming presence—a low rumbling noise could be heard and the ice beneath his feet began to shake.

Suddenly, the bow of the ship emerged from the mist, pointing directly at the Water Tribe warrior. The vessel crashed into the wall and easily split through the ice, pushing the boy forward and causing him to tumble into the snow, before grinding to a halt. With some trepidation, he looked up at the warship, readying his weapon.

The sound of metal on metal pierced the air as the ship's bowsprit opened and folded down onto the snowy ground of the village center. The Water Tribe warrior fell backwards, barely avoiding being crushed by the bowsprit, which now served as a gangplank.

Princess Azula, Ty Lee, and four guards waited at the top of the bowsprit for the steam to clear before exiting the ship. Azula wore warm, red pants and a matching long-sleeved shirt, covered by her black battledress and black armor. Her hair was pulled up into a topknot with long bangs in front. Ty Lee also wore warm pants and a long-sleeved shirt—rose pink, of course—but forgo the armor in order to allow her body freedom to move. Her guards wore similar armor to Azula—the only difference being the helmets they wore.

As the steam cleared, Azula began to walk down the steps of the gangplank with her entourage right behind her. Her amber eyes took in the sight of the small village, filled with nothing more than igloos. All the villagers had gathered in the village center. She noticed that the populous contained only women and children, who all huddled together and stared at her with fear. No one dared make a sound.

Without warning, the silence was broken by an adolescent war cry. Azula caught sight of a warrior boy—covered in face paint and holding a club—charging up the steps towards her. He raised his weapon, but as he went to strike, the Fire Princess easily knocked the club from his hands. She followed with a knee to the gut, before tossing him over the right side of the plank, where fell head first into the snow.

Azula heard Ty Lee giggle behind her as they continued walking. There was an audible intake of breath as her feet touched the ground—the villagers tensing as they eyed her warily. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the warrior boy—his back to her—shaking the snow off himself before picking up his weapon once more. She mentally rolled her eyes. _"He has to be by far the worst warrior I've ever seen,"_ she thought as she prepared for another possible "attack."

He turned to face her, but he did not strike. Instead he just stood there rooted to the ground, staring at her almost dumbstruck. Azula, realizing he wasn't a threat, ignored him and turned her attention to an old woman and a teenage girl, who she assumed was at least her age.

"Where is he?" she demanded.

No answer. Everyone continued to simply stare at her, too afraid to speak.

"Who?" the boy spoke, having finally found his voice. He was now walking over in her direction.

"The airbender. I know that he's here," she said, turning to face the warrior.

"And what if he was? It's not like there's much you could do about it, seeing as you're just a girl," he said with a shrug.

Azula's eyes flashed at him dangerously, but he was oblivious. Ty Lee tsk'd, shaking her head, knowing what was coming. Just as Azula went to form a flame in her palm, the Water Tribe girl spoke.

"Sokka, will you shut up! Spirits, I have had it with your sexist attitude!"

"Oh, please, Katara," Sokka retorted.

"Quiet, the both of you!" Azula ordered, shooting blue fireballs from both palms, barely missing the tops of Sokka and Katara's heads respectively. Sokka screamed as he fell to the ground, and several of the children let out whimpers or cries in reaction.

Sokka gulped nervously, and Katara looked at Azula with apprehension. They had both seen firebenders before, but none with fire that looked and felt quite like the princess's.

"That's better," Azula said, her voice calm as she let her hands fall to her sides. "Now, let's try this again. Where is the airbender?"

Just then, a young boy wearing monks robes with blue arrows tattooed on his body, skyrocketed into the village on a penguin. As the animal came to a stop, it sent snow flying up, covering the children of the village, causing them to cheer. The boy then hopped off the penguin and pointed his staff in Azula's direction.

"Looking for me?" he asked.

Azula looked at the boy oddly, but knew without a doubt that he was indeed the last airbender, despite the fact that he appeared to be no older than twelve years old. "As a matter of fact, yes."

"If I go with you, will you promise not to hurt these people?" he asked, throwing his staff to the ground in a gesture of surrender.

"_Well, that just made my job a whole lot easier,"_ she thought. "I promise."

"Aang, no!" Katara shouted. "What do you want from him?" she demanded, looking at Azula.

"The Avatar is a sworn enemy of the Fire Nation," Azula informed her. There was a collective gasp amongst the villagers.

"Aang… you're the Avatar?" Katara asked in part awe and part disbelief.

"No way," Sokka murmured.

Aang hung his head somewhat shamefully. "Yeah."

"You can't just let them take you," Katara insisted, as the guards closed in on Aang, shackling his arms behind him. One of the guards tossed the boy's staff to Azula where she easily caught it. She twirled it around a couple times, admiring its craftsmanship.

"Let's go," Azula ordered as she and Ty Lee began to walk back up the gangplank. The guards then roughly pushed Aang forward toward the ship.

"Don't worry, Katara," he said reassuringly as he looked back over his shoulder. "I'll be okay. Take care of Appa for me."

The village watched as Aang and his Fire Nation captors disappeared into the bow of the ship, and the gangplank lifted. Now inside the vessel, Azula regarded the young Avatar thoughtfully for a moment. She held her hand up for the guards to come to a halt.

"Ty Lee," she said the girl's name in a tone that made it crystal clear what she wanted the acrobat to do.

With two quick punches to the boy's torso, she blocked his chi—completely inhibiting his bending ability. Aang looked at the two girls somewhat fearfully. He knew something was wrong.

"What did you just do?" he asked.

"I blocked your chi, sweetie," Ty Lee explained happily.

"Can't have you airbending onboard my ship, Avatar," Azula added with a smirk. "Take him to the brig," she ordered the guards before eyeing the staff appreciatively. "I'll be keeping this."

* * *

Azula sat on her bed, the Avatar's staff resting across her legs. Ty Lee sat on the floor in the traditional Fire Nation style with her feet tucked underneath her.

"Is it even worth it?" Azula wondered aloud.

"Is what even worth it?" Ty Lee asked.

"Bringing the Avatar to my father."

It was a simple statement that spoke volumes to the acrobat. Azula didn't often talk about her family. In fact, she always kept her true emotions closely guarded, but Ty Lee knew better.

"I know why he sent me on this so-called quest. My father never had any intention of me actually finding the Avatar, you know," she said bitterly.

Ty Lee nodded sadly.

"It was assumed that the Avatar cycle was broken. But obviously it wasn't, and it's just a matter of time before the world knows that he has returned. And if I don't bring him to my father, I'll be seen as even more of a failure."

She knew she was in a lose-lose situation. She didn't want to return home, but she didn't want to live at sea forever either. And the more time that went by, the more she worried that Ty Lee would get tired of this life and leave.

"Ty Lee," she began. "Why do you stay on this ship with me? I know why the guards and servants do. They were ordered by Fire Lord Azulon to look after me since I was a small child. But you… you don't have to be here. Why would you choose this?"

"We've been over this, Azula. You know I was planning on running away from home."

"Yes, but that was to join the circus."

"The circus doesn't need me. But you do."

Azula shifted her gaze from the acrobat, suddenly uncomfortable with the nature of the conversation. Ty Lee noticed.

"Besides… we make a good team," Ty Lee said with an infectious smile.

Azula couldn't stop the small smile coming to her own lips. "We do, don't we?" she agreed.

Ty Lee nodded happily.

The two girls sat together in silence then, simply enjoying the comfort their company provided.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

A loud bang jarred Azula from her sleep. Within seconds she had her boots on and was out the door of her cabin. As she headed down the hallway leading to the deck, she ran into two guards who had also been woken up.

"What happened?" she asked them, as she continued to move toward the main door.

"We're not sure, Princess. That sound came from the foredeck," one of them answered.

Azula opened the door to see the Avatar's sky bison biting down on the leg of one of her soldiers and tossing him overboard into the icy water. If the man weren't a firebender, she might have been worried about him catching hypothermia. She spotted three other soldiers up against the front railing, knocked unconscious. _"What happened?"_ she wondered.

Then she saw them—the two Water Tribe teens from the South Pole—standing to the right of the bison.

"Where is he? Where's Aang?" Katara demanded, but still smartly keeping a safe distance from the Fire Princess.

Appa growled menacingly, and stomped his front foot against the metal floor of the deck. He snorted, sending a strong gust of wind in Azula's direction, slightly pushing her and the two guards back. Azula saw a sleepy-eyed Ty Lee and the rest of her crew exit the main cabin then.

"What's going on, Azula?" Ty Lee asked before taking in the sight of the ten-ton beast.

"I don't suppose you could chi block him?" Azula asked her as she pointed at Appa, who looked like he was ready to charge them.

"Uh… no. I didn't exactly learn the anatomy of flying bison at the Academy."

"Oh well, guess we'll just have to do this the old-fashioned way," Azula said, a smirk coming to her lips as she dropped into her firebending stance. "Fire!" she ordered her crew.

Just as they were about to release their streams of fire, the entire ship began to shake, throwing everyone off-balance. The sound of crunching metal filled the air, as the middle of the foredeck began to crack, opening into a large hole. Bright white-blue light shone through and up to the night sky, illuminating the deck.

Aang, his eyes and tattoos glowing, rose through the hole in the deck, encased in an air sphere. Azula jumped forward to face him and immediately began shooting blue firebombs at him, but they proved to be ineffective. His eyes then glued on her, and she found herself panicking ever so slightly.

Lifting his arms in the air, Aang summoned water from the ocean. Two large waves formed on either side of the ship, and he sent them crashing down onto the Fire Nation crew. Azula and Ty Lee both managed to avoid the attack—the acrobat more easily than the princess—but the other soldiers weren't as lucky, and they were promptly knocked back.

As Ty Lee went to spring into action, the Avatar launched two water jets, one of which hit her in the stomach, knocking the wind out of the acrobat. The other water jet slammed into Azula's chest, causing her to stumble back and also knocking the wind out of her, but she remained on her feet—albeit a bit wobbly. Aang then took the water, forming it into a water knife, and sliced his arms through the air, sending the blade toward Azula. She attempted to evade it, but it caught her side and knocked her to the floor.

Unconsciously knowing the threat was over, Aang's eyes and tattoos stopped glowing, as he fell down onto the deck. He was seriously weakened from the unexpected expenditure of energy.

"Aang!" Katara shouted, as she and Sokka ran over to him.

The girl easily lifted the airbender into her arms as the boy stood protectively by them—his club and boomerang at the ready—but it wasn't needed. However, they needed to move quickly if they were to get away before Azula and her crew had time to regroup. The trio quickly ran up Appa's tail and into his saddle.

"Yip-yip!" Sokka shouted, and the sky bison lifted off the foredeck of the warship.

"Shoot them down!" Azula ordered, as she looked up to see them flying off.

Three of her guards stepped forward and sent forth a stream of fire, but Appa easily deflected by sending out a gust of wind with a downward movement of his tail. All the firebenders could do then was watch as they flew out of range.

Azula felt Ty Lee's presence before she saw her. The acrobat silently held out her hand, and the princess grimaced as Ty Lee helped her up to her feet.

"Are you alright?" she asked Azula worriedly, looking pointedly at the blood staining the front of the firebender's nightshirt.

"I've had worse," Azula replied.

Ty Lee frowned, knowing all too well that it was true.

"I'll be fine," Azula said with a small smile, trying to reassure her before bringing her attention elsewhere.

The princess glanced around the front of the deck to assess the damage and the state of her crew. There was large hole torn straight through from the brig up to the deck from the Avatar. Azula sighed, knowing that the damage was too significant to fix up while at sea. They would have to stop somewhere to make the repairs, which she really didn't want to do.

The men who had fallen overboard were being helped back up onto the ship, their firebending—specifically their breath of fire—helping them to maintain their natural body heat.

"Hurry back inside and change out of those wet clothes," she ordered them, before bringing her eyes to the three men had lost consciousness. The cook was busy waving smelling salts underneath their noses, and they were now starting to come to.

Azula brought her attention up to the helmsman who was waiting for her orders. "Set a course for the Southern Fire Nation Naval Base," she commanded. _"At least we can stock up on supplies for the winter,"_ she reasoned, trying to look on the bright side. But then she caught sight of the gaping hole in her ship once more and realized there was no bright side.

"Ty Lee, how was the Avatar able to bend?" Azula asked a bit testily.

"It's strange," the acrobat explained. "It was only twelve hours ago that I blocked the Avatar's chi. The technique I used usually knocks out a person's bending for a few days at least."

"I should have thought of this. Of course he's no ordinary bender. He's way too powerful to fall prey to the same weaknesses other benders do," the princess realized.

"Are we going to go after him again?" Ty Lee asked.

"I don't think we'll have to," Azula said with a half smile, recalling the wooden weapon in her cabin. "He left something behind, and I'm sure he wants it back."

* * *

Now alone in the privacy of her cabin, Azula gingerly peeled the cloth of her nightshirt away from the wound on the side of her abdomen before taking the article of clothing off completely. It was fairly deep but wouldn't need stitches, she realized with some relief. Grabbing a clean cloth, she dipped it in cool water and gently cleaned the cut. She idly wondered about the paradox of this particular element. It was water that had cut her and now it was water that soothed her.

The wound finally cleaned and bandaged, Azula went to grab a new shirt, which she quickly pulled over her head. She hated for her skin to be exposed any longer than it needed to be. She remembered her days at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls—the flawless, white skin of her classmates, and the words whispered behind her back when in the bathing chambers of the dormitories. Even at the young age of eight, Azula knew her father hated her, but perhaps what made it worse was that other girls knew it too. They could see it.

She knew that her skin had once been just as flawless as those other girls, but she simply could not remember not having scars on her body. They were often the result of her father's angry tirades, but things got particularly ugly one night when her older brother got involved.

_Crash! The vase in Prince Ozai's study shattered on the floor. Young Prince Zuko stood besides it with a worried expression on his face. The younger Princess Azula came out from her hiding place to see what the noise was about._

"_What happened, Zuzu?" she asked, still unable to say the boy's name properly._

"_Yes, what happened, Prince Zuko?" Ozai asked as he stepped into his study to see both of his children standing next to the broken vase._

"_Azula ran into the table and knocked the vase off and it broke," Zuko told him with a straight face._

_Azula's eyes widened in surprise at her brother. As she opened her mouth to disagree, her arm was roughly grabbed by Ozai as he brought his face close to hers. She averted her eyes from his burning gaze, flinching as she felt the hard slap of his hand across her face._

"_That vase was mine! You had no right to break it!" he shouted at her._

"_But I-" she was cut off by another smack to the face._

"_Shut up!" He turned her body around and pushed her to the ground, where she fell to her hands and knees, stunned. Before she even had a chance to move, she felt heat behind her and then the searing crack of a fire whip against her back._

_She screamed._

_Another lash came. And another, until six in total were delivered._

_Azula lay there, sobbing on the floor. She vaguely made out the sounds of her father's voice ordering the servants to do something. She finally willed herself to open her eyes, and through her tear-filled gaze she saw Zuko standing there with his arms crossed, looking at her with disgust._

_

* * *

Having heard that Princess Azula had needed to visit with the royal healer, Prince Iroh made sure to check in on his niece. He found her sitting stiffly on a large chair in the healer's chambers._

_Her eyes lit up when she saw him come in. "Uncle Iroh!"_

"_Hello, Azula," he greeted her with a smile as he took a seat beside her. "How are you feeling?"_

_Azula shrugged and looked away from him for a moment. __"Uncle Iroh, can you tell me a story?" she asked him softly. "I always like hearing your stories."_

"_Of course, my princess," he said, his voice tinged with sadness. "Have I told you the tale of the wind and the sun yet?"_

_She shook her head no._

"_Once the wind and the sun came to have a quarrel. Either of them claimed to be the stronger. Finally, they agreed to have a trial of strength._

"'_Here comes a traveler. Let us see who can strip him of his cloak,' said the sun._

"_The wind agreed and chose to have the first turn. He blew in the hardest possible way. As a result, the traveler wrapped his cloak even more tightly around him._

"_Then it was the turn of the sun. At first he shone very gently. So the traveler loosened his cloak from his neck._

"_The sun went on shining brighter and brighter. The traveler felt hot. Before long he took off his cloak and put it in his bag. The wind had to accept his defeat._

"_What there is to learn from this tale, my dear niece, is that fury or force cuts no ice, whereas gentleness does the job."_

* * *

**Author's Note:** The story that Iroh tells Azula is actually a fable by Aesop.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:** After some invaluable feedback from Caladbolg777, I decided to rewrite a certain detail pertaining to Ozai in this chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 4**

Princess Azula's single-stacked steam warship pulled into the harbor of the Southern Fire Nation Naval Base three days after the Avatar's escape. The base was filled with enormous battleships that dwarfed the princess's vessel.

"I want these repairs made as quickly as possible. We also need to replenish our supplies, so I want half of you to go and take care of that. Try to be quick about it. I don't want to stay here any longer than we have to," Azula ordered her crew.

The bowsprit was then lowered to the dock, and the entire group walked down the gangplank, enjoying the feeling of being on solid ground once more. Azula and Ty Lee watched the crew immediately split up, going about their business as they were commanded.

"Princess Azula," a voice called out, and the girls turned to see a tall, muscular man with dark brown hair and a mutton chop beard, wearing a naval uniform.

"Commander Zhao," she replied, bowing respectfully and causing the man to smile. He returned the gesture with a bow of his own, before bringing his gaze to the princess's friend.

"And Lady Ty Lee," he said, bowing to her as well.

"Commander Zhao," she said pleasantly, mimicking his gesture.

"I am honored to have such fine young women of the Fire Nation pay us a visit. Tell me, what brings you to my harbor?" he asked.

"We need to stock up on some supplies for the winter," Azula explained, purposefully omitting the fact that her ship needed to be repaired. It was better if she didn't draw attention to the fact, since the damage wasn't obvious from the dock.

"I see. Do you mind if I speak with the princess in private?" Zhao asked Ty Lee.

"Not at all," Ty Lee replied cheerfully. "I can go help Kali get the food rations."

With that, the girl took off in the direction the cook had gone in minutes earlier, leaving Azula alone with the commander.

"Join me for a drink?" he asked, taking her by the arm. There was something in his tone that raised a red flag in her mind, but she couldn't think of a good reason to refuse. Besides, it was impolite to turn down a friendly invitation.

Zhao led Azula off the dock, through the Fire Navy yard, and past a wooden stockade. Beyond the stockade were hundreds of large, red tents, which the pair walked through with little fanfare. Finally they arrived at the most prominent of the tents, which bore a large Fire Nation symbol. Two guards stood at either side of the front flaps. As Zhao and Azula approached, one of the guards pulled the flap open to allow the commander entrance to his private quarters.

"After you," Zhao offered, indicating that Azula should enter first.

As she entered, she took in the setup of the commander's tent—curious how a man of Zhao's stature would choose to live. The main space was relatively sparse, containing only a table with a handful of chairs, a weapons rack to the left filled with various spears and poles, and a red cushioned loveseat—the only sign of comfort. A large map of the world hung on the wall directly across from the tent's entrance, and off to the right were more tent flaps—leading to a smaller tent that served as the commander's sleeping quarters.

"Have a seat, Princess," Zhao said, gesturing to the loveseat.

With as much grace as she could muster, she took a seat. She knew it was unusual for Fire Nation men who were not family to be alone in the company of young females, and she was surprised that the guards had remained outside.

"Please excuse me for a moment," the commander said before disappearing behind the flaps leading to his sleeping quarters.

He returned short moments later with a bottle and two goblets. Azula realized with some uncertainty that the drink she had agreed to have with Zhao was wine and not tea like she had assumed. She recalled only ever drinking once before—back at the Academy with Mai and Ty Lee. She didn't remember the events of that night so well.

"You must be getting tired of living at sea. I'm sure you miss palace life," Zhao said, handing her a goblet, and bringing her mind back to the present. He pulled up a chair closer to the loveseat, taking a seat and a long swallow from his goblet.

"The sea isn't so terrible," she replied, thinking that it was better than living at the palace. "In some ways I prefer it."

"Ah, a girl after my own heart," he said with a smile that was slightly suggestive. "You know, I could arrange for you to have a new, larger ship."

"Thank you for the offer, Commander Zhao, but my current ship is suitable."

"It belonged to General Iroh, did it not?"

"Yes, he left it for me," she said, an air of sadness in her voice now.

The commander put his goblet down and moved from his chair, coming to sit at Azula's right—close enough for their legs to be touching. She felt somewhat bothered by his close proximity. Even Ty Lee, who loved to dole out hugs, never sat this closely to other people.

"You must miss him terribly," he said, his voice getting a little softer.

Azula cast a glance in his direction, and the look in his eyes made her decidedly uncomfortable. There was a kind of hunger there that she had never seen directed at her before, but she was pretty sure what it meant.

"I do," she admitted, not really sure what to say as she fidgeted with her goblet. She decided that she really didn't want to drink any of the wine—she needed to keep her wits about her—and so placed the goblet on the floor.

"It's a shame that he couldn't see the beautiful woman you are becoming," Zhao continued, resting his hand on her thigh.

For a moment, Azula was frozen. It wasn't until that hand started to travel further up that she got control over her body. Shooting up from her seat, she fixed Zhao with a hard glare.

"What do think you're doing, Commander?" she spat.

Undeterred by her reaction, he smoothly got up to stand. "Relax, Princess. It was only a compliment," he chuckled as he brushed his knuckles lightly against her right cheek—the side of her face that wasn't scarred.

She flinched at the contact and averted her gaze, unconsciously reacting to the man who was now towering over her. In her mind, she was back at the palace and it was her father standing over her, ready to slap her across the face. Zhao wasn't her father, and he had no intention of striking her, but his intentions were no more noble than Ozai's had been.

The strike didn't come—rather the commander's hand traveled behind the girl's head—and the lightness of his touch was enough to snap her out of it. She looked up just in time to see Zhao moving in for a kiss. Anger coursed through her then, and before the man's lips could touch hers, she brought her arms up and roughly pushed against his chest, knocking him back.

Zhao stumbled a bit, not expecting Azula to react so forcefully. He glared angrily at her. He was a man who was used to getting what he wanted and didn't react well to being told no.

Azula mentally went through all the scenarios she could think of and her options in each case, but inwardly felt herself panicking a bit. It was possible that Zhao could keep her here under all sorts of false pretenses.

"Commander Zhao," Azula heard a guard's voice call from behind her. The commander brought his attention to the man and away from her for the moment. "An urgent message from Fire Lord Ozai has just arrived. It needs your immediate attention."

Sensing her opportunity, the princess bowed graciously to Zhao as if the entire encounter had never happened.

"Thank you for the drink and the hospitality, Commander," she said, but she couldn't keep the venom out of her voice completely.

Not waiting for the man's reply, she swiftly turned on her heels and exited the tent. It took all her self control not to break into a run back to the dock. She just prayed that whatever it was that needed Zhao's attention kept it, and that he would not somehow keep her or her crew here.

When she arrived at her ship, everyone was on board and the hole was nearly repaired, much to her relief.

"Do we have all the supplies we need?" she asked one of her guards.

"Yes, Princess."

"Can these repairs be finished at sea or do we need to stay here?" she continued, her voice urgent as she glanced behind her.

"We got the bulk of what could only be fixed here finished. We can complete this away from the base," he confirmed.

"Good," Azula said with a nod. She then headed into the control room to find the helmsman who was busy reading a scroll.

"Get this ship moving," she ordered.

He was a bit slow to put his reading material down, bringing out the princess's temper.

"Now!"

Understanding Azula's sense of urgency, the helmsman quickly got to work on getting the ship out of the harbor and as far from Zhao as the water would take them.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Where are we headed to now?" Ty Lee asked the princess after they had created several miles of distance between themselves and the naval base.

"I'm not sure yet. For now, we're just going to go north. Move along the shores of the Earth Kingdom. Maybe we'll gather some information that can be useful. Zhao received an urgent message from my father while we were docked at the naval base. I want to know what it said. I have a bad feeling about it."

"Why didn't you stay and find out?"

"Things got… awkward with Zhao," she explained, shuddering a bit as she recalled her encounter with the commander. "Besides, I doubt he'd be divulging military secrets to me."

The firebender brought a small, blue spark to the tip of her index finger and began to bounce it back and forth between her thumb and finger.

"You know, Azula. I've been thinking…"

"Always dangerous," the princess teased her friend as she stopped playing with the spark.

Ty Lee stuck her tongue out at Azula. "As I was saying. When we captured the Avatar, you said that you weren't sure if it was worth it to bring him to your father. I know you didn't like living at the palace. I mean, your aura was so much pinker those last few years at the Academy…"

"Where are you going with this, Ty Lee?" she asked, getting a little impatient.

"Well, I think you should return to the Fire Nation with the Avatar. That way your honor could be restored. I know how important honor is in the Fire Nation," Ty Lee explained before softening her voice. "And I know how important is to you personally."

Azula looked away from Ty Lee then, gazing out over the sea as she had countless times before in the last year. What Ty Lee had said was true. Her honor was important to her. And it tore at her that the people of the Fire Nation saw her as a failure.

"Perhaps bringing the Avatar to the Fire Lord could redeem me in the eyes of the Fire Nation. I know that I can never truly redeem myself in the eyes of my father. But maybe this would be enough to make him stop hating me at the very least," Azula mused. "After all, there was that short time after I graduated from the Academy where he even showed interest in me," she added wryly.

Ty Lee bit her lower lip, remembering the short-lived praise Ozai bestowed upon his daughter and Zuko's reaction. Her eyes fell on Azula's scar. So many things had gone wrong in the months following their graduation from the Academy.

"But we're getting ahead of ourselves," Azula continued, unaware of Ty Lee's internal thoughts. "First we have to capture the Avatar. Again. And this time make sure he doesn't escape," she finished, her eyes flashing with determination.

For the first time in months, Azula allowed herself to feel a sliver of hope.

* * *

Azula and her crew traveled for a week without incident, and the foredeck and brig of her ship looked good as new. As nightfall broke, they began to come into the waters near the island of Kyoshi. She then ordered her crew to stop for the night and decided to retire early. As she sat in her cabin, her eyes fell to the right wall where a straight sword hung. The blade had belonged to her Uncle Iroh. When she inherited this ship, she left his cabin exactly as it was, including the small, wooden tea table and black china tea set. Those items she understood, fondly recalling the man's love for tea, but the blade on the wall seemed curious to her. General Iroh was not known for his swordsmanship—he was a firebender through and through.

A light knock on Azula's cabin door brought her attention away from admiring the weapon.

"Come in."

Ty Lee, wearing a dark cloak to alleviate the winter chill, opened the door to enter the princess's cabin.

"The Avatar is trailing us, just like you thought," she informed Azula. "Jee spotted his bison through the spy glass. He expects them to be here in about ten minutes or so."

Azula smiled as she grabbed her black cloak and pulled it over her head. Ty Lee silently followed the princess out of her cabin and to the foredeck.

"Everyone back inside," she ordered the two guards standing watch. "Wake the others and make sure to keep a close listen in case we need you."

With a brief nod, both guards acknowledged Azula's command and retreated back into the small bridge tower. The two girls then positioned themselves alongside the tower, easily hiding in the shadows there.

"Wait for my signal, Ty Lee," Azula said quietly. "Until then, don't make a sound."

The acrobat nodded in understanding. All they had to do now was wait. They caught sight of the bison moments later, flying up from the rear. Assuming that no one was on deck, Aang brought Appa closer to Azula's ship.

"Aang, are you sure this is a good idea?" Katara asked worriedly.

"I need my staff to airbend," he replied.

"I'd really prefer not to go on a ship with the princess of the Fire Nation and her crazy blue firebending if at all possible. Can't we just get you another staff?" Sokka asked.

"No. Only the elder monks knew how to craft them. Besides, it was a gift from Gyatso. He made it for me himself," he said, tears coming to his eyes. "It's one of the last connections I have to my teacher."

Azula could hear the voices of the three teens, who were now hovering over the water's edge on Appa, but only caught the last part of what they said. She tried to ignore the little bit of guilt that gnawed at her conscience upon hearing Aang speak that way about his teacher. She felt similarly about her uncle. _"Now isn't the time for this, Azula,"_ she told herself. _"After all, it isn't anything personal. He is an enemy to the Fire Nation."_

As Aang left the bison's saddle, hopping up onto the afterdeck's railing, a movement on the water caught Azula's attention. Coming up from the south—the same direction the Avatar's bison had come from—was a Fire Nation warship. Her eyes narrowed. _"What is that ship doing here?"_

"Uh oh, looks like we've got company," Sokka said, also noticing the approaching vessel.

"I thought we'd lost them by now," Katara added with a note of worry and disappointment.

"We'd better keep moving," Sokka urged Aang.

"At this rate, I'll never get my staff back," he said, frustrated but knowing Sokka was right.

"It's okay, Aang. We'll figure something out. For now, let's just get out of here," Katara said.

With a heavy sigh, the airbender jumped off the railing and back into Appa's saddle. The sky bison lifted himself higher into the sky and then headed east toward land, making it harder for the ship to track them.

Azula and Ty Lee then came out from the shadows, pulling their hoods down from their heads. The princess was more than a little frustrated. She had the Avatar once and lost him, and she was so close to having him once more. Her eyes fixated on the approaching warship, which was nearly twice the size as hers.

The vessel slowly came to a halt alongside hers, and she could plainly see Commander Zhao on deck. He was staring down at her, his expression unreadable. He lifted his right arm, signaling for his troops to lower the gangplank onto the deck of Azula's ships.

Ty Lee looked at Azula nervously, not understanding what was going on. The princess wore a calm expression, although there was a glint of anger in her eyes as she looked at the commander.

With his arms clasped behind his back in an authoritative manner, Zhao marched down the gangplank with two-dozen of his soldiers in tow. The sound was enough to bring Azula's guards out on deck, and they fell in line behind the princess.

"Commander Zhao," Azula greeted the man, her voice tight.

"Princess Azula," he replied, fixing her with a hint of a wanton smile. As his foot stepped down onto her ship, she resisted the urge to take a step back. She would be strong and knowing Ty Lee was beside her helped.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit?" she asked, keeping up the façade of cordiality.

"I have a proposition for you, Princess," he began. "As you know, I received an urgent message from the Fire Lord. Perhaps you'd be interested in the contents of that message."

She simply raised an eyebrow in response, feigning indifference, but inwardly she very much wanted to know.

"The Avatar has returned and I've been assigned to capture him." He paused, waiting for Azula's reaction.

Her temper flared. Of course Zhao knew that was the mission she had been sent on when she was banished—everyone knew that. She knew deep down that her father never intended for her to find the Avatar, but now that his return was known and she actually had a chance to restore her honor, he was making sure that she would not succeed. It drove the figurative nail into her heart a little deeper, yet it motivated her to prove her father wrong—spite him even.

"Why are you telling me this, Commander?" she asked through gritted teeth.

"I know that you need the Avatar in order to return home. If we team up, we have a better chance of catching him," Zhao explained. "I'd give you the credit, of course. And you can restore your honor."

She eyed him warily. "What's in it for you?"

"The pleasure of your company," he replied in a tone that made Azula shudder.

"Let me think about it," she said, just wanting him to get off her ship.

"Of course. I'll leave you with one of my messenger hawks."

He made another gesture with his left hand. One of his soldiers then stepped forward with a hawk and handed it over to one of Azula's guards.

"I hope to hear from you soon, Princess," Zhao said, taking her hand in his. "Until then…" he placed a kiss on the back of her hand. If not for her previous encounter with the commander, she would have been mentally rolling her eyes, but now she understood exactly what he expected to get out of any sort of partnership in hunting the Avatar.

"Goodnight, Princess," he said before turning his back and heading back up the gangplank to his ship.

Azula let out a breath she didn't even realize she was holding as she watched the commander's ship depart.

"That was… odd," Ty Lee said once the vessel was out of sight.

Azula didn't respond. Instead she wordlessly walked back to her cabin, trying to sort through the mixture of hurt and anger she felt. Most of the time, she was able to block those things out—evidenced by her ability to bend lightning—but sometimes it got to be too much. Concerned, Ty Lee padded after her.

"Are you okay, Azula?" the acrobat asked now that they were alone. Azula was sitting on her bed with her back to the girl.

"It's not fair!" Azula shouted after several moments of silence. "What did I ever do to that man to make him hate me so much?"

She let herself fall onto the mattress, her breathing becoming heavier, but she would not cry. The acrobat quietly sat on the edge of her bed and ran her fingers through the firebender's hair in an effort to soothe her. They didn't speak another word; the princess eventually falling into a restless sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The next morning, after practicing their bending and acrobatics respectively, Azula and Ty Lee sat down to share a cup of tea and decide on what their next move would be.

"Are you really considering Zhao's offer?" Ty Lee, asked hoping that the princess was not, and if she was, that she was leaning toward "no."

"If I accept his offer, I'll be in his debt. And it's not the kind of debt I'm willing to repay," Azula replied with a grimace as she sipped her tea. "This is about my honor. I'm not desperate enough to lower myself like that. If I did, I'd have no honor in my _own_ eyes."

"I'm glad to hear that. The way he was looking at you gave me the creeps. What is he, thirty years older than you?" Ty Lee asked, somewhat disgusted.

"Forty," Azula clarified wryly.

"Ugh."

"Zhao's always been ambitious though, and since my father has assigned him the task of capturing the Avatar, it will make my job all that more difficult. We'll be in direct competition, and he has every resource at his disposal," she realized, somewhat frustrated.

"But he's not as smart as you are," Ty Lee rebutted.

Azula shrugged off her friend's compliment. "He's just as driven. I'll just have to stay one step ahead of him."

* * *

Several days had gone by, but they had been unable to track down the Avatar's whereabouts. Azula ordered her crew to continue moving along the Earth Kingdom shores, hoping to catch wind of something. There had been many rumored sightings but nothing definite. The only positive she could gather from this was that Zhao was probably encountering the same obstacle.

She had sent the commander a message shortly after his unexpected visit, declining his proposition to team up to capture the Avatar. If she was going to restore her honor, she would not be indebted to anyone except for the people who served on her ship—and none of them really expected anything in return from her. Ty Lee was there as her best friend, and their friendship was not based on conditions—something that was very rare in Azula's life.

For the crew, it was a sense of duty, since many of them served Fire Lord Azulon and held a deep respect for the man. The former ruler had held a certain fondness for his youngest grandchild due to her namesake, which he had demanded of Ozai and Ursa before she had even been born. It ended up being apropos, as Azula turned out to be a prodigy just as he had been. Unfortunately, it was something his son Ozai had never been able to appreciate.

"_Prince Iroh tells me that your daughter, Princess Azula, has a natural gift for firebending," Fire Lord Azulon stated near the end of his meeting with his younger son._

"_I'd hardly call it a natural gift," Ozai retorted._

"_Are you calling your brother a liar?" Azulon's eyes narrowed. He was tired of Ozai's attempts to constantly undermine Iroh._

"_No, Father," the prince gritted out, his jealousy of his father's favoritism of Iroh flaring a bit. "It's just that she has shown a propensity towards weakness—hardly a suitable trait for a firebender."_

_Azulon knew that Ozai resented his daughter for taking away his wife. It became apparent to him that his resentment was so deep that it clouded his judgment. Not for the first time, Azulon was glad that Ozai was not his first-born. He didn't see his grandchildren very often—his duties as Fire Lord leaving little time for family—but he trusted Iroh's judgment, especially when it came to identifying talent._

"_Weakness can be overcome, Prince Ozai. I want you to send Princess Azula to the Royal Fire Academy for Girls."_

"_As you wish, Father," Ozai replied. _"At least the little brat will be out of my way,"_ he thought to himself as he left the Fire Lord's throne room._

* * *

"You should have come to the market today, Azula. I ran into a couple of really cute guys," Ty Lee said dreamily as she walked back onto Azula's ship. They had made a stop at a local fishing town so Kali could make something fresh—rather than working with dried food rations—for dinner that night.

"I know, I know. You're busy," Ty Lee continued in a tone that indicated she didn't believe it. "But really, it would be good for you to take a break once in awhile and have a little fun."

"I think you and I differ a bit on the idea of fun," she said, rolling her eyes, but couldn't keep the crooked smile off her face. Ty Lee always meant well, and she appreciated the girl's efforts to keep her in a good mood whenever possible.

Lieutenant Jee approached the pair then, interrupting their conversation.

"Princess, we know where the Avatar is," he informed her. "He's on Kyoshi Island."

"You know this for a fact?"

"Yes. Kali just arrived with his purchases from the market—pieces of elephant koi. Elephant koi are native to the island's bay. The fisherman said the Avatar has been staying there for the last several days."

"Let's not waste any time," Azula said. "Set a course for Kyoshi Island."

* * *

"Well, what do you think?" Sokka asked Aang, who was examining the wooden staff he had just handed him. "I know it doesn't turn into a glider, but at least you can do some of your airbending moves with it. I made sure it was similar in weight and density to your staff."

"We'll still get yours back, of course. This is just temporary," Katara added with a smile.

Aang tried twirling the staff around in front of him while using his airbending to generate a light wind. A small smile came to his face.

"Thanks, guys," he grinned at them in appreciation. "This definitely makes things easier. I still want to try and get my glider back, but I wouldn't mind staying here for a little while longer. Especially since it seems like we've lost that big warship."

"Aang, you know that it's too risky to stay in one place for so long. What if whoever's been tracking us in that warship finds us here. Everyone on Kyoshi Island would be in danger," Katara said.

"You're right. But it would be nice to-" Aang's thought was cut off by a loud crackling sound. The three of them looked in the direction it came, only to see smoke rising up from the beach.

* * *

"That should get his attention," Azula said, as she stood on the beach watching the trees burn after being struck with bolts of her lightning. Just like at the South Pole, she had Ty Lee and four of her guards with her. The rest of her crew waited on board if needed.

She didn't have to wait long. Within minutes, the Avatar arrived at the beach with the two Water Tribe teens and a half dozen female warriors, who were dressed like Avatar Kyoshi. Azula also noted that the Water Tribe boy was dressed in the same manner and that the Avatar was holding a staff. She frowned slightly at this, assuming she had one less hold on the boy now.

"The Fire Nation is not welcome here," the head warrior announced, as they came to a halt about ten feet from them. "Leave now."

"Not until I get what I came for," Azula replied, fixing her gaze on Aang. "You'll come with me or else we'll burn this island's village to the ground."

No sooner were the words out of her mouth, than all six Kyoshi Warriors plus Sokka dropped into a fighting stance, unfurling their fans and retractable shields. Aang and Katara dropped into airbending and waterbending stances respectively.

Azula sighed as she fell into her firebending stance. "Have it your way."

Aang's eyes narrowed at the princess, readying himself for battle.

"I bet I could take all those girls out," Ty Lee said quietly to Azula, clearly unimpressed with the female warriors.

"They're all yours," Azula replied with a smirk.

Quicker than she could blink, Ty Lee sprung forward into a front flip and landed behind the Kyoshi Warriors. Before they could turn to face her, she threw a series of quick jabs into the backs of two of the girls, dropping them to the ground. One warrior attempted to strike the acrobat with her fan, but Ty Lee easily evaded the attack with a cartwheel to the left. She then countered with a punch to the warriors side, and the girl grunted in pain before falling down.

Azula wasn't able to admire her friend's skills much longer, as the Avatar lifted his staff before bringing it down and releasing a powerful blast of wind at the princess. Azula quickly turned her body to the side, avoiding the attack—unfortunately, one of her guards was unable to do the same and went flying back against the ship's hull. She followed through with a side kick, releasing a stream of blue flames toward the airbender. Spinning his staff in front of him, he was able to dissipate the fire before it could hit him.

Azula then launched a rapid succession of fire bombs in his direction. With a look of panic, Aang hopped up onto an air scooter and barely avoided the attacks. The blue flames landed in a nearby brush—the plants catching on fire and beginning to spread down the length of the beach.

As Azula turned to face the Avatar, she was suddenly knocked down to the ground. Aang had sent an air wake at her, sufficiently stunning her. Her guards immediately sprang into action, throwing fireballs and streams at him, but nothing would hit him. He was simply too fast. Azula then pushed herself up to her feet, sparing a glance at Ty Lee and saw her locked in a heated battle with the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors—all the others were lying paralyzed on the ground around them.

Aang noticed it too and the worry he felt over his friends was all over his face. He knew what it was like to be struck by Ty Lee—how helpless a feeling it was—but he knew he couldn't just surrender. And so turning his attention to Azula and her guards once more, stepped forward with his right leg and shot out air blasts from his palms.

Again, her guards were too slow, and only Azula was able to evade him—this time by leaping up in the air. As she came down, she thrust the soles of her feet at Aang, sending a powerful wave of flame at him. Reacting quickly, Aang ducked down and formed an air barrier around himself, absorbing the firebender's attack.

Azula was surprised that he wasn't doing anything besides airbending. They were literally surrounded by water, so why wasn't he waterbending at least? Not that she was complaining, but where was that power she had seen on her ship?

"Give up yet, Avatar?" she asked the boy, as he got up from his crouched position.

The entire beach was now up in flames from the all the firebending, creating an oppressive heat despite the winter chill on the rest of the island. Aang noticed with some trepidation that Ty Lee had finally felled Suki and was now moving towards Azula's side, as well as several more guards who were making their way down the gangplank.

Suddenly, an idea struck him, and using his superior speed, he bolted for the water. As he ran, Azula attempted to hit him with fireballs but kept missing him by inches. Before her final blast could strike him, Aang reached water. Moving quickly through the water, he finally found what he was looking for.

With a horrible screech, the Unagi lifted its head up from the bay with Aang riding on its snout, grabbing onto its whiskers. Pulling back, he forced the sea monster to release a powerful stream of water—effectively putting out the fires.

Sufficiently soaked, Azula was more than a little irritated. She caught sight of a small shadow on the beach then, followed by a much larger one. Looking up, the princess saw Appa heading out over the bay with a much smaller flying creature leading the way.

As the Unagi released the final drops of water from its mouth, Appa arrived—hovering just high enough to stay out of the jaws of the sea monster. Aang then released its whiskers and deftly jumped up onto the sky bison's head, steering him back toward the beach. As Appa came to land, he slapped his tail down on the ground, sending a powerful wind through the air, causing Azula, Ty Lee, and the remaining guards to fly back several hundred feet.

They landed on their backs with a dull thud, knocking the wind out of them. Azula was the first to recover. Coming up to sit, she watched—from a distance—Katara stand up gingerly. _"Ty Lee must not have hit her hard enough,"_ Azula realized. The waterbender slowly walked over to where Suki lay, exchanging some words. Aang then lifted a paralyzed Sokka in his arms, and the trio climbed onto Appa. Moments later, they were off and heading north through the skies.

With a heavy sigh, Azula turned to face Ty Lee and her guards, all of whom had finally recovered from the bison's airbending attack.

"Don't worry, Azula. We'll get him yet," the acrobat said, trying to cheer the princess up.

Azula said nothing, as she pushed herself up to stand. The rest of her group followed suit. They then quickly made their way back to the ship without incident. The rest of the villagers had wisely stayed away from the beach.

Fortunately, the Kyoshi Warriors were still down, except for one—their leader—who was starting to regain use of her limbs. The girl glared at the princess as she walked past. Azula ignored it as she trudged up the gangplank.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

As they had done previously, Azula's party continued to travel north. Based on the information she was able to gather, the princess figured the Avatar was taking the same route. There were confirmed sightings of the airbender and his friends in Omashu, but there was no way she would be able to infiltrate that stronghold, and so she waited.

Shortly thereafter, Azula heard reports that the Avatar was in a small mining village north of Omashu. Knowing that she had a better chance to catch him there, Azula ordered her crew that way.

As her ship traveled through the waters near the mining village, they came across an abandoned mining rig. It looked like there had recently been some kind of a struggle. It was then that Azula realized it was a Fire Nation prison rig.

"Pull the ship up to the rig," Azula ordered the helmsman.

As she stepped onto the rig, her eyes caught a strip of blue amongst the black coal, which undoubtedly had been used by earthbenders to attack their Fire Nation captors. Crouching down, her eyes narrowed as she examined the ribbon. There was something attached to it. Picking it up, she instantly recognized it.

"This belongs to that Water Tribe girl," she realized.

"Find anything, Azula?" Ty Lee asked as the princess stepped back onto the ship.

"Just this," she replied, showing her friend the necklace. "The Avatar was here."

As they neared the mining village's small port, Azula caught sight of Appa, once again heading north over the mountains that sat at the edge of the village. The princess knew that it was impossible to follow him on land over that kind of terrain. They would need to continue on water for the time being.

Several more days passed, but there was no new information and Azula didn't know where to look next. In the back of her mind throughout was Commander Zhao. She didn't want him getting to the Avatar before she did.

Azula was frustrated to say the least and took to the deck to blow off some steam. She knew better than to practice her lightning bending—with the way her mind was the past week, it would just blow up in her face. Instead, she put on a ferocious display of firebending, pushing her body to the limit until she was simply too tired to be upset.

She then made her way to the small dining quarters on the ship, where she found Ty Lee absently pushing her food around her plate with her chopsticks.

"What's wrong, Ty Lee?" Azula asked, noticing that the acrobat was unusually subdued.

"Today is Mai's birthday," she replied, looking up at the princess.

Azula simply raised a questioning eyebrow at the girl, as she took a seat across from her.

"I miss her," Ty Lee explained. "I miss when it was the three of us."

"So do I," Azula said. "It wasn't all that long ago either, but it feels like another lifetime."

Azula didn't like to think about the day everything had taken a sudden, unexpected turn—forever altering their friendship with the stoic weapons mistress.

* * *

_Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee had all graduated with honors from the Royal Fire Academy for Girls in the early summer. Azula hadn't been home in the seven years she had been gone except for two occasions—her Uncle Iroh and Cousin Lu Ten's funerals, and several years later, Fire Lord Azulon's funeral._

_Azula had been the shining star at the Academy—she was the top of her class and a firebending prodigy who's fire now burned blue, and she could also bend lightning. Ozai had actually been somewhat proud. Of course, it was because it reflected well on him and had very little to do with her. But it was the closest thing to acceptance she had ever known from her father. Even though he still sometimes yelled at her and hit her, it was less frequent than when she was younger, and for that, she was grateful._

_Used to being the center of attention, her brother Zuko was not happy about this fact and did whatever he could to undermine her in front of their father. It often resulted in her receiving some kind of "punishment," which Zuko reveled in. As a result, Azula took care to avoid her brother as much as possible._

_They had been home a month, and just like when they were at the Academy, the trio of girls were inseparable. They split their time between hanging out at the palace or at Mai's house. When at the palace, they would often spend time in the courtyard._

_It was during one of these afternoons that Prince Zuko had decided to take a stroll outside. His eyes fell on the trio, who were sitting underneath a large tree—enjoying the shade it provided from the summer sun. Azula was aware that he was watching them. She turned her gaze to meet his, narrowing her eyes slightly. He wore the same expression he usually did—smug arrogance._

_

* * *

Azula was just about to doze off for a good night's sleep when Zuko unceremoniously dropped into her chambers._

"_Azula," his voice was pleasant, but it was obvious to her that he wanted something._

"_Zuko," she replied evenly. "What can I do for you?"_

"_Your friend Mai is a beautiful girl and father thinks she would be a good match for me. I had the pleasure of speaking with her this evening. I've invited her over tomorrow for lunch."_

_It was subtle, but she understood what Zuko was trying to do. He wanted to let Azula know that he was going to take Mai away from her, and that there wasn't anything she could do about it._

_

* * *

Over the course of the next several weeks, Zuko wined and dined Mai, and Azula and Ty Lee saw less and less of her. While the assassin usually kept her true feelings to herself, she did admit to her friends that while she found the Prince to be handsome, his arrogance and his cruelty bothered her. However, it would have been political suicide for her to spurn Zuko's romantic advances, and she always had to think of her father's political career._

_Then, one afternoon, everything changed._

"_Hi, Mai," the bubbly girl greeted her, throwing her arms around the assassin in a warm hug. Mai simply patted Ty Lee's back in return. Normally, the girl's hugs would bring a hint of a smile to her face, but not today. Azula noticed, but chose not to say anything. That was Ty Lee's territory._

_As the acrobat pulled away, she saw that Mai's aura was fairly tumultuous, even though her expression and body language betrayed nothing._

"_You're aura doesn't look so good, Mai. Is everything okay?" Ty Lee asked, frowning a bit._

_Mai glanced over at Azula. _"This is not going to be easy,"_ she thought, bringing her gaze back to Ty Lee._

"_I can't stay long. In fact, I'm not here at the palace to visit with you guys," Mai began._

"_I saw your parents coming in through the front gate," Azula commented, suspecting that it was some kind of official business—Mai's father was a prominent political player in the Fire Nation. She didn't think it would have involved Mai though._

_Mai nodded. "My parents and I have a meeting scheduled with the Fire Lord and Prince Zuko shortly."_

_Azula's eyes widened at the mention of her brother's name._

"_I had to try and catch you before then. My parents had some news for me this morning." She paused then, unsure how to tell her friends what was about to happen. "I'm to be married to Prince Zuko."_

_Ty Lee gasped and Azula just stood there, almost in shock._

"_But Mai, you aren't even sixteen yet," Ty Lee said, confused. Fire Nation custom dictated that marriage ceremonies couldn't commence until both parties were at least sixteen years of age._

"_I know, but it's a direct request from the prince, so the Fire Lord has decided to make an exception. We're to be married in a week's time," she finished gravely._

"_Did he even ask you if you wanted to marry him?" Azula asked, her temper flaring now._

_Mai shook her head, clearly not happy, but there wasn't much she could do about it. Azula was livid and Ty Lee was saddened. All three girls knew that their friendship would never be the same. Despite the fact that Mai would soon be living in the palace, Azula knew she would see very little of her friend. Mai's duties would lie with Zuko first and foremost._

_

* * *

_"_I take it you've heard the news," Zuko said as he walked out into the courtyard._

_Azula looked up from her seat beside the pond. "Congratulations," her tone was carefully neutral._

"_Thank you," he said with a smug grin as he towered over her._

_The gravity of the situation hit Azula like a punch in the gut. She knew why Zuko had chosen Mai. Not only was she a beautiful and skilled warrior with a sharp mind, but she was one of Azula's only allies—something that Zuko had only been too eager to take away from her._


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Azula opened the small, black trunk containing the few possessions she had taken with her from the Fire Nation upon her banishment. Resting on top was a box that held a set of brushes and some paints. They were a gift from Ty Lee on the previous winter solstice. She recalled when the bubbly acrobat had presented them to her, wrapped in red ribbon. It had been the first time the princess had smiled since her banishment.

The firebender took the items over to her small table and neatly arranged them. There she unrolled a sheet of rice paper and placed two stones on either end to weigh down the edges. Taking a seat, she chose a flat brush and dipped it in a paint with a pinkish hue. She began to gently apply the wet brush to the paper.

Azula found that brush painting helped quiet her mind. It was something she discovered while at the Academy in her calligraphy class. It enabled her to achieve a level of stillness within herself, allowing her to find the peace of mind necessary to bend lightning. It was one thing she could do that her brother couldn't—and that, she came to realize, was both a blessing and curse.

After she completed her painting, she left it on the table to dry and headed up to the bridge deck to check with the helmsman on their status. They had finally picked up on the Avatar's trail again and soon would have to continue their search on land—perfect for the pair of ostrich horses they had recently acquired on their last stop.

As Azula stepped out onto the bridge, she could see that they were pulling up to land. _"Perfect timing,"_ she thought. Although the sun was beginning its descent over the horizon, she was still determined to get some more travel in. If they were lucky, they might even catch the Avatar and his companions unaware—one of the benefits of tracking at night.

The sky had darkened considerably once they had made land. Azula, Ty Lee, and two other soldiers each paired up on the two ostrich horses and headed northeast. After a few miles, they entered a lush, green valley, but it quickly became apparent that firebenders had been through here. The forest had burned to the ground.

Azula noticed footprints in the earth—three that were obviously human and one set that was obviously not. "The Avatar was here," she noted, her eyes following the trail they had taken. Picking up their pace, they eventually reached a small village, who's inhabitants were clearly all asleep, as it was now nearing midnight. The post read "Senlin Village."

Eyeing the largest home at the village center, the princess dismounted her ostrich horse and Ty Lee quickly followed behind her. As they approached the house, the village chief came out onto his porch. His eyes widened in apprehension at the sight of the Fire Nation soldiers in his village.

"Seen the Avatar lately?" Azula asked as she advanced on the man.

He tugged at the collar of his shirt for a moment as he shifted his weight uneasily from one foot to the other. She formed a flame in the palm of her hand then.

"He's gone. Left here about an hour ago."

"Tell me where he went. Or else," she threatened, her flame growing a little stronger.

The chief visibly gulped. "Crescent Island."

"Damn," Azula cursed under her breath. She swiftly turned and faced Ty Lee and her men. "We don't have much time. Let's get back to the ship as fast as we can. Maybe we can catch him before he reaches Fire Nation waters."

* * *

Azula stood at the front of the foredeck with her spyglass in hand, gazing up at the sky. The sun was beginning to rise, making it easier to spot the Avatar's sky bison.

"We're going to be in Fire Nation waters soon," Ty Lee noted worriedly.

"I know," Azula replied.

"What will you do?"

"We'll keep going," she said.

"Are you crazy?" Ty Lee asked.

"This could be my last chance to catch the Avatar. Once he enters the Fire Nation, I don't see how he can leave. Someone else—probably the Fire Sages on Crescent Island—will get the glory if I don't get him first."

"But what if you get caught? Your dad will kill you, Azula," Ty Lee pleaded. She wasn't being figurative either.

Azula's hands gripped onto the railing tighter. She knew. "I have to do this, Ty Lee. I want my honor back."

A movement up ahead caught the princess's attention then. "There he is," she said pointing up at Appa. It was obvious the sky bison was tiring, as he had been flying all night in order to reach Crescent Island before the sunset. "Just a little closer."

Azula dropped into a firebending stance, and Ty Lee unconsciously took a few steps back in order to let the princess work. Breathing in, she began to circle her arms, the air around her charging. She stepped forward, breathed out, and sent lightning out through her fingertips and towards the bison.

* * *

"What the?" Sokka jumped nervously as the bolt of lightning narrowly missed Appa's tail. "She can bend lightning?!"

"Aang, we have to get out Azula's range before she shoots more lightning at us," Katara urged him.

"Can't you make Appa go any faster?" Sokka asked.

"Yeah, but there's just one little problem."

* * *

Before Azula had time to fire off another lightning attack, she saw something up ahead that did not make her happy.

"A blockade," she grumbled.

"Azula, let's turn back now," Ty Lee suggested. "We're still in Earth Kingdom waters, so they won't be able to arrest you."

Azula looked back up at the sky and to her surprise, the Avatar was still flying his bison into Fire Nation territory.

"We keep going," she said.

* * *

"The Avatar and the princess. This must be my lucky day," Zhao said with a smile from he place on the foredeck of one of the blockade vessels.

"Commander Zhao, what are your orders?"

"Shoot the bison down," he ordered.

"But there's a Fire Navy ship out there, sir—one of our own. What if it's hit?"

"The Avatar is too great a threat," he said. If the princess's ship was hit, it would be a shame, he thought. But the thought of the Fire Lord's wrath was enough to temper his desire for the girl.

Zhao then turned toward his soldiers standing ready at the trebuchets. "Ignite!"

Each soldier ignited their assigned trebuchet, waiting for the commander's word.

"Launch!"

* * *

Azula and Ty Lee watched with some apprehension as the all the warships in the blockade launched fireballs simultaneously in an effort to take the Avatar down. Sparing a glance skyward, the princess saw the bison struggling to avoid the attacks.

A fireball landed in the water near her ship then, creating a wave that rocked the vessel, and the crew struggled to keep their balance.

"We're like a sitting turtle duck out here," Azula said angrily, realizing their was no way to safely get out of the range of the trebuchets in time. There was nothing they could do to counter the attacks—there were simply too many fireballs.

Another one landed, this time causing a wave to break over the ship's deck, throwing everyone off balance.

"What are we going to do, Azula?" Ty Lee asked. The princess could see the fear in the acrobat's eyes.

Before she could answer, their ship was rocked by a fireball crashing into the back part of the vessel. Azula turned to see black smoke billowing up as the ship slowly came to a halt. Her crew immediately began working to put the fire out.

"Princess Azula," the engine master called out, emerging from the smoke. "The engines have been severely damaged, but once the fires are put out, I can make the repairs needed to get the ship moving again."

Azula nodded at the man, realizing there wasn't much else that could be done.

Noticing that the sound of battle had quieted, she turned to see that the Avatar had gotten past the blockade and was now in the Fire Nation. She deeply breathed in and out several times, trying to get her growing anger and frustration under control.

* * *

"Where do you think the Avatar is headed, sir?" a soldier asked Commander Zhao.

"That ship belongs to Princess Azula. She's been tracking the Avatar and I have a feeling she knows exactly where he's going." He paused, thinking for a moment. "Get a boarding party ready."

* * *

Azula was busy helping to put out the fire—wanting to get her ship repaired as quickly as possible—when she heard Ty Lee gasp.

"We've got company, Azula," she said, tugging on the firebender's sleeve and pointing across the water. The princess looked up to see a small Fire Navy ship heading their way.

"Relax, Ty Lee," she assured her as she brought her attention back to the acrobat. "We're still in Earth Kingdom waters. They can't arrest me."

But the princess could feel eyes watching her. She looked back across the water, and as the ship came closer, she saw Commander Zhao standing at the railing. Azula let out a disgusted huff of breath as she walked back to the front of her ship.

Several moments later, Zhao's vessel pulled up alongside Azula's. A gangplank was released down onto her deck, and the commander and his soldiers made their way across.

"It's good to see you again, Princess. I'm sorry about your ship," he said, glancing back at the area that was still smoking but no longer on fire. "But I'm sure you understand the threat the Avatar poses to the Fire Nation."

"Of course," she said, clearly irritated.

"I understand you've been tracking the Avatar. Tell me, do you know where he's going?" he asked, fixing his gaze on her as he took another step closer to her.

"I have no idea, Commander," she lied. "I was simply following him from the Earth Kingdom."

"I see," he said, not entirely believing her. "I know you've stated that you wish to capture the Avatar on your own, but I want you to know that my offer still stands."

She didn't want Zhao's help. Any and all favors had a motive behind it, and it was one she didn't like at all. The more he kept showing up, the more she felt her patience wearing down.

"And my response remains the same," she replied testily.

"As you wish, Princess," he said, narrowing his eyes at her for a moment. He would get what he wanted, one way or another. "It does make me wonder though. How much loyalty do you really have to the Fire Nation?"

"And what, exactly, is that supposed to mean, Commander?" she asked, fully aware of the insult to her honor he just directed at her.

"I think you know exactly where the Avatar is going. And since you refused my generous offer to join up with me, I would think you would at least have the decency to do what's right for the Fire Nation by telling me what you know."

"_Generous offer? Why that lecherous hog monkey,"_ she thought.

"And if you don't, I'm sure your crew will," he finished. She understood the threat.

Clenching her fists at her sides, it took all her self control not to blast him with a fireball.

"Crescent Island," she gritted out.

Zhao smiled, but it did not reach his eyes. "Thank you, Princess," he said before heading back with his soldiers onto his ship. Just as the gangplank was about to be pulled up, he added, "It's a shame you won't be able to complete your mission."

It was one final attempt to get the princess to come along with him willingly, but all it did was stoke the already growing flames of competitiveness within her belly. She simply glared at the man, and he smirked at her as his eyes roamed over her body.

All she could do now was hope the Avatar managed to not get himself captured while in the Fire Nation and come back to the Earth Kingdom.

* * *

"An airbending staff and a Water Tribe betrothal necklace is all I have to show for my efforts," Azula muttered bitterly as she looked at the items lying across her small dresser.

Her eyes then fell on a rolled up piece of paper on the floor. She realized then that it was the brush painting she had done the day before that she had left to dry. _"It must have fallen off the table during the attack,"_ she thought as she reached down to pick it up.

Unrolling it, she saw that it fortunately had finished drying before it had been knocked off the table. Just the sight of it was enough to calm her down a bit. There were only a few hours in the day, and since all hope of capturing the Avatar anytime soon were gone, Ty Lee had insisted that they do something special for the solstice.

With the painting in hand, Azula left her cabin and walked over to Ty Lee's cabin. She knocked on the door softly.

"Come in," she heard the acrobat's muffled voice through the door.

Azula entered to find her friend sitting at her table with a fresh pot of tea. "It smells wonderful in here," Azula commented as she took a seat across from Ty Lee.

"I managed to get some spice tea at our last stop," she said with a warm smile, as she poured Azula a cup and handed it to her. She knew that it was the princess's favorite. The firebender inhaled the steam from the tea and then sipped appreciatively.

"I also got something else for you," Ty Lee continued as she removed the cover on top of the small tray that sat beside the teapot, revealing two fire cakes. "Happy Solstice, Azula."

Azula just smiled at her friend for a moment. Ty Lee always knew how to cheer her up, and it was often with little things like this—things that most people never cared to notice about her.

"Thanks," she said as she placed her tea cup down. "I made something for you." Azula then presented her friend with the painting she was holding.

"Oh, Azula, it's beautiful," Ty Lee said, tears coming to her gray eyes as she took in the painting—a line of blossoming cherry trees reflecting off a river. "Thank you," she said, getting up from her seat and pulling Azula into a hug.

The princess hugged her back, grateful that there was at least one person in her life who appreciated her.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Azula was in a good mood. She had just learned of Commander Zhao's failed attempt to capture the Avatar at Crescent Island on the solstice. After the destruction of Avatar Roku's Temple, the airbender and his companions had managed to escape the Fire Nation without incident, and Azula knew they were undoubtedly back in the Earth Kingdom somewhere. And that meant she still had a chance.

Now it was just an issue of tracking him down once more. The one thing Azula was certain of was that the Avatar was traveling north, just as he had been when she'd first started hunting him a month prior.

A few days after the solstice and her ship's engines good as new, Azula decided to stop at Merchant's Pier to see if there was any news on the Avatar's whereabouts. She often found that her cook, Kali, was able to procure this information the most easily out of everyone that made up their crew. It tended to happen while he was purchasing their food—conversations would come up about how the Avatar was seen passing through one village or another.

After the princess's ship made landing in the town's port, Azula and Ty Lee walked down the dock with several members of the crew following behind them—looking forward for a chance to stretch their sea legs. As they walked past a pirate ship, Ty Lee's eyes lit up.

"I bet they have all sorts of interesting things in there! Come on, let's take a look," she said, grabbing Azula by the arm and practically dragging her inside.

Azula crossed her arms and waited not so patiently as Ty Lee perused some pieces of jewelry. The princess's eyes looked around disinterestedly, catching the captain and barker in conversation.

"Any luck getting that waterbending scroll back?" the captain asked.

"No. We lost the Water Tribe girl and the little bald monk she was traveling with," the barker informed the captain, causing Azula's ears to perk up as she walked closer to them.

"This monk… he didn't by any chance happen to have an arrow on his head, did he?" Azula asked, feigning indifference.

"Why yes, as a matter of fact, he did," the barker replied.

"Ooh, Azula, look at this," Ty Lee said, holding a gold necklace with red stones up to her neck as she turned to face her friend. "Isn't it pretty?"

"It's lovely," Azula replied off-handedly, ready to leave now that she knew the Avatar was nearby.

"For you, beautiful, we're willing to sell that to you at a discount: 50 gold pieces," the barker said, eager to get _some_ money for his "high-risk trading."

Ty Lee rolled her eyes. "50? At most this is worth 30."

"We don't have time to haggle, Ty Lee. Let's go," Azula said, looking pointedly at the girl.

Understanding the firebender's sense of urgency, she placed the necklace down and followed her friend outside the pirate ship and back to their own.

"Why were you in such a rush to get out of there?" the acrobat asked.

"Because the Avatar is around here somewhere," she explained quietly. "It sounds like he and his friends took a waterbending scroll from those pirates, which means they're probably somewhere along the river. Let's take the cutter craft with some of the men out along the water."

* * *

Katara had snuck away from a sleeping Sokka and Aang with the waterbending scroll and was now down by the river. She was practicing but failing to produce the water whip.

"Shoot!" she exclaimed, frustrated that she couldn't get the move down. "Come on water, work with me here!"

Trying again, she lifted a globe of water out of the river and tried to manipulate it. Every time she made a mistake, it was punctuated by a verbal exclamation.

"Okay, Katara, shift your weight through the stances," she said to herself, but the stream of water collapsed. "Ugh!"

Suddenly, Katara heard the noise of grinding metal. Running over to a row of bushes on her left, she parted them only to find Azula's cutter craft beached on the river bank. Eyes widening slightly with panic, she turned to run, but one of Azula's soldiers was standing there waiting for her. Reaching out with his hand, he grabbed onto the girl's arm, attempting to pull her closer to get her under control.

"No, let go of me!" the waterbender cried out.

Katara then bent a water whip around and smacked the soldier in the face. With a surprised yelp, he let her go. Keeping her eyes on the man, she began to move away but unknowingly backed right into Azula. The firebender wrapped her arms tightly around the girl, grabbing onto her wrists and holding her fast.

"Going somewhere?" she asked with a dark chuckle. Katara shuddered at the sound, now wishing that she hadn't decided to practice her bending alone in the middle of the night.

* * *

Azula had ordered Ty Lee, Jee, and four other soldiers to search the woods for the Avatar's campsite, and they had been gone for quite some time. Katara had been bound with rope to a small tree with her hands tied behind the trunk. She was surrounded by Azula and a few soldiers.

"Maybe you can help us move things along," Azula said conversationally, as she brought her gaze to meet the waterbender's.

"Go jump in the river!" the waterbender yelled, earning a smirk from the firebender.

"Tell me where he is, and I won't have to hurt you," Azula threatened.

"Never," Katara said defiantly.

"You're loyal. Believe it or not, I admire that," she replied, thinking of Ty Lee. "But understand that this isn't anything personal."

"Not personal? Aang is my best friend."

"He's a threat to the Fire Nation—to the world," Azula argued.

"What are you talking about?" she asked incredulously. "He's the world's last hope for peace."

Azula shook her head. "You're wrong. The Avatar is only standing in the way of progress."

"Progress?" Katara blinked, not believing what she was hearing. It was almost stupefying to her. "How is the war progress?"

"We're sharing our greatness with the world. But I suppose that's too much for your peasant mind to comprehend," Azula said with a roll of her eyes.

Katara's eyes flashed angrily at Azula's insult, but before she could retort, the princess had already moved on.

"So are you going to talk? Or do I get to keep this?" she said with a smirk, producing the girl's necklace and dangling it in front of her face.

Katara gasped. "My mother's necklace! Where did you get that?" Her voice was still laced with anger.

"I found it," Azula replied with a shrug, mentally shrugging off what kind of meaning this object could hold for the waterbender. She briefly wondered if Katara's mother had passed away like hers had. "So are you going to tell me where he is or not?"

"No."

Azula sighed and put the necklace back in her pocket. "Fine, have it your way."

The princess formed a fire dagger in her hand then and brought it close to Katara's right side—about six inches from the girl's body. "Well?" she asked.

The waterbender visibly gulped and instinctively tried to move away from the heat of the flame. Azula's fire was much hotter than other fire she had been around, Katara realized. What the girl didn't realize was that Azula was playing a game of possum chicken with her—it wasn't like she actually _wanted_ to burn her.

"Azula," Ty Lee's voice called out as she came out from the woods and approached her. "We found their campsite. But it looks like someone beat us there."

Azula released her fire dagger and turned her attention away from Katara and onto the acrobat. "What do you mean, Ty Lee?"

"It looks like there was some kind of struggle. The Water Tribe boy is still there, but he's injured. The Avatar was gone."

"No," Katara said with a whispered sob upon hearing the news.

"We captured the boy. What do you want us to do, Princess?" Lieutenant Jee asked.

"Bring him to me. Let's see if he knows anything," Azula said.

"You better not hurt Sokka anymore than he already is," Katara threatened.

"They won't unless he does something stupid," the princess shot back, rubbing the bridge of her nose. She was beginning to wonder why she bothered to even capture the girl in the first place.

Several moments later, Azula heard the footsteps of her soldiers moving through the woods and toward them. Sokka—his wrists and ankles bound together with rope—was carried by one of the princess's men. His eyes were closed, and Azula could see burns on his arms and a large bruise under his right eye.

Katara began to cry quietly at the sight of her injured brother, as the soldier deposited the boy at Azula's feet, and he groaned slightly in pain. The princess couldn't help but feel pity for the boy—she knew his skills were limited. He didn't stand a chance in any kind of battle with a real warrior—a real firebender.

Sokka's blue eyes opened slightly to look up at his captor. Azula's face was an expressionless mask, but her amber eyes seemed to pierce through him. He gulped, unsure and afraid after what had happened in his campsite's clearing.

"What happened to you?" she asked.

He blinked. That wasn't what he had expected her to say at all. He had assumed she had something to do with his earlier fight.

"We were attacked by firebenders while we were asleep. They took Aang," he explained weakly.

"These firebenders… were they soldiers? What kind of uniforms? What insignia?"

Sokka's head throbbed. He was having trouble thinking and Azula's rapid fire questioning wasn't helping things.

"They were soldiers. Navy, I think. Everything happened so fast," he finally answered, wishing that he weren't in such a helpless position.

Azula's eyes narrowed as she looked away from the boy. She had a good idea who it was that took the Avatar, and it did not make her happy.

"Let's get back to the port," Azula said, turning on her heels back to head back to the cutter.

"Are you just going to leave them here?" Ty Lee asked, as she fell in line beside Azula.

"We have to. I'm not taking them prisoner. Just two more mouths to feed and since the Avatar's already been captured, there's no strategic value in keeping them," Azula explained.

Azula could feel Katara's eyes burning into her back as she departed. The firebender ignored it. She didn't expect the peasant girl to understand what a merciful thing she had just done for her and her brother. She knew not many people would understand—especially not in the Fire Nation.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"Sokka, are you okay?" Katara asked him worriedly.

Sokka struggled to sit up, but he managed it and looked over at his sister. "Just a little beat up," he said, trying to allay her concern. He examined the knots in the rope that bound his ankles. "Give me a few minutes, and I think I'll be able to get us untied," he said as he started to work at the ropes.

It took a little while due to the awkwardness of having his wrists bound and the burns on his arms created a considerable amount of discomfort, but Sokka was finally able to loosen the ropes enough to free his feet. Slowly pushing himself up to stand, he walked over to Katara, whose face was streaked with tears.

"I'm sorry, Sokka," she said.

"Why are you sorry?" he asked.

"I should have been there to help you protect Aang. Instead I was out here with that scroll, even though I promised I would leave it be."

"Katara, it's okay. We were ambushed. I doubt having you there would have made much of a difference… no offense," he finished sheepishly.

"None taken. Are you sure you're okay?" she asked again, looking at the burns on his arms.

"I'll be fine," he said again, ignoring the pain in his skull. "Let me see if I can untie you from this tree." He moved behind Katara then and looked at her wrists. Again, it was awkward and the burns on his arms were giving him some trouble, but he managed to unbind her wrists.

Katara was able to bring her arms around to the front of her body, although the rope holding her to the tree was a bit tight. Sokka moved back around to face his sister.

"Here, let me untie your wrists," she offered.

Sokka nodded. Katara made quick work of them. The boy then reached around behind him to grab the small hunting knife in his belt that he used to gut fish, and made quick work of the ropes holding his sister to the tree.

"We shouldn't waste any time," he said, as she stepped forward to examine his injuries.

"Sokka, you're hurt."

"We'll deal with it later. Let's just get back to the camp to get whatever supplies are left. We have to try and find Aang."

* * *

As Azula's cutter craft reached the port, she saw something that confirmed her suspicions on who had captured the Avatar—one of Zhao's warships was docked alongside hers, completely dwarfing every other ship. Fire Nation soldiers stood at attention along the dock. All the merchants and visitors had wisely turned in for the night.

After the smaller craft had been reeled back into Azula's larger ship, she made her way out onto the dock to find out what was going on. It didn't take long. Commander Zhao was waiting for her.

"Princess Azula," he began pleasantly, clearly loving the position of power he was in, and it took all of Azula's self-control not to sneer at him.

"Commander Zhao," she replied, and her distaste for the man came through. He either didn't notice or didn't care.

"I've captured the Avatar," he declared proudly, and the small sliver of hope that Azula had been holding onto all but shattered.

"Why tell me this, Commander?" she finally asked. "Why not just return him to the Fire Nation—bring him to my father?"

"Because I wouldn't have found him without you," he replied with a smirk.

Azula looked at him with a confused expression.

"I've been following you in order to track down the Avatar. Your crew was kind enough to tell me where you had gone off to tonight."

Azula clenched and unclenched her jaw. She knew they had no choice but to answer Zhao's questions. He had more authority than a banished princess.

"I'm offering you one last chance to accept my offer," he continued as he looked at her pointedly. "One last chance to restore your honor."

Azula caught Ty Lee's nervous glance. "Give me a moment to reconsider, Commander," Azula said before walking a distance away from everyone with Ty Lee.

Zhao smirked and nodded his agreement.

"Are you seriously reconsidering?" Ty Lee asked, wringing her hands together.

Azula sighed. "I am."

Ty Lee frowned.

"Look, this is my last chance. I don't want the Fire Nation to see me as a failure forever. I want my honor back."

"I don't like this one bit," the acrobat said.

"Don't worry, Ty Lee. He can't make me do anything I don't want. I'll figure out someway to get the Avatar from him without compromising myself."

"I hope you know what you're doing."

* * *

Sokka stumbled as he and Katara slowly made their way back to camp. Katara caught him around his waist, barely breaking his fall.

"You alright?" she asked quietly.

"It's nothing. I'm just a little dizzy," he replied, holding his forehead with his hand.

"Here, let's sit down for a bit," Katara said as she helped him to the forest floor.

She ran her hands through his hair then, feeling for any bumps. Sure enough, she found one at the back of his head. He hissed as her fingers lightly pressed against it.

"That's a really nasty bump. You probably have a concussion," the waterbender noted worriedly.

Katara bit her lip. She knew that Sokka really shouldn't travel or fight for a few days at least. Head injuries were tricky. But they needed to find Aang. She didn't want to think about what might happen to him if they didn't figure out someway to rescue him.

* * *

"I have yet to see to the prisoner. Why don't you come with me down to the brig where he's being held? Then we can discuss the details of our agreement."

Azula shuddered at his tone, and swallowed a rather nasty remark. _"I have to play my cards just right,"_ she reminded herself.

Casting a quick glance at Ty Lee, she followed Zhao onto his ship and down below to the prison brig. The man finally came to a stop outside one of the cells, nodding at the guards to open the door. Inside was the Avatar, a little beaten and bruised, but nothing too serious. His wrists and ankles were shackled and chained to the wall to prevent his escape.

Aang looked up to see Zhao entering his cell. He fixed the man with a hard glare.

"So this is the great Avatar? Master of all the elements. I don't know how you've managed to elude the Fire Nation for a hundred years, but your little game of hide and seek is over."

"I've never hidden from you. Untie me and I'll fight you right now!" Aang challenged him.

"Uh, no. Tell me, how does it feel to be the only airbender left?" he asked, getting in Aang's face. "Do you miss your people?"

Aang dropped his head sadly at those words. Zhao's smirk only grew.

"Oh, don't worry. You won't be killed like they were."

Those words only served to incite the Avatar's anger and he once again glared at the commander.

"See, if you die, you'll just be reborn, and the Fire Nation will have to being its search for the Avatar all over again. So, I'll keep you alive—but just barely."

Zhao then turned to leave, still smirking. Aang blew a gale force wind, knocking Zhao back into the hallway where he collapsed in a heap at Azula's feet. She had to stifle a laugh at the man's predicament. He shook his head to clear his vision as the guards rushed to help him stand.

"Blow all the wind you want!" he yelled back into the cell. "Your situation is futile. No one will save you. You are _my_ prisoner."

"_Your_ prisoner?" Azula asked him, eyes narrowing as she examined the man standing before her. "You have no intention of following though on your agreement, do you? You want the glory for yourself."

Zhao shook his head and smiled as he brought his attention back to her. "You're wrong, Princess. I have every intention on following through. But first, you have to do something for me. Come with me."

Aang looked after the two of them angrily, but was admittedly confused. Weren't Zhao and Azula on the same side? And he didn't understand how a military officer could speak to a princess in such a manner. Not for the first time, he wondered about Azula's scar.

* * *

"Care for some tea, Princess?" Zhao asked as they entered his quarters. Azula couldn't help but notice that they were now alone.

"No thank you," she said with as much politeness as she could muster.

"Right to business then, I see," he replied, smiling at her again.

"Indeed," she said, standing as tall as she could and fixing her gaze on the commander. "I want the Avatar, Zhao."

"Well, seeing as I'm the one who actually captured him, if you want the credit, I'm going to need some compensation," he began, taking a step closer to the girl.

Her eyes flashed dangerously at him, but he arrogantly ignored it. While he knew Azula was a highly skilled firebender, she had displayed weakness in the past. After all, it was why she was banished in the first place.

"You said yourself that you wouldn't have found him if it wasn't for me. I'd say we're even," Azula reasoned, her voice taking on an angry edge.

"There's no need to be so hostile," he said with a chuckle.

Before Azula had a chance to react, Zhao took another step closer and grabbed her, pulling her body into his and pressing his lips against hers. She thought she would throw up right then and there. He held onto her tightly, remembering how she had forcefully refused him the last time he'd tried to kiss her.

Squirming a bit in his grasp, she lifted up her foot and stomped hard onto his boot. With a surprised hiss, he loosed his grip, and Azula roughly pushed him away from her. She immediately dropped into a defensive stance.

"You go too far, Commander," she said angrily. "I will not allow you to dishonor me in such a manner."

"I wonder, Princess, how it's possible for me to dishonor you when you have no honor to begin with. In fact, I'm the only one who's willing to help you restore the honor you've lost by giving you all the credit for capturing the Avatar. You should learn to show a little more respect," he growled as he reached for her again, "and gratitude."

"You're disgusting, Zhao," she spat as she pushed him away again, blue flames now dancing dangerously at her fingertips. "I'm warning you. Never touch me again," she finished with an emphatic burst of flame from her fingers.

"But I thought you wanted your honor back," he said, shaking his head and crossing his arms.

Azula gritted her teeth, her anger completely taking over. "You know _nothing_ of honor."

"Is that a challenge?" he asked, his own temper now flaring a bit.

"Agni Kai," she said, glaring at him.

"Very well," he replied, a smirk coming to his face, certain he would win.

"If I win, I get the Avatar."

"And if I win, I keep the Avatar… and you."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

"An Agni Kai?" Ty Lee asked, very surprised with the news Azula just dropped on her.

"Well, it wasn't exactly what I had in mind when I agreed to his 'offer.' I was hoping I could just talk him into giving me the Avatar. But an Agni Kai will do the trick," Azula said with a half smile. "Besides, that hog monkey Zhao deserves to be put in his place."

"Are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, I know you're good and everything, but after your last Agni Kai…" Ty Lee stopped talking upon seeing the glare Azula was now directing at her.

"This is _nothing_ like last time."

"I'm sorry for bringing it up," Ty Lee said quietly, knowing that Azula didn't like to talk about it. The scar on her face was enough of a reminder.

"It's okay." Azula's expression softened somewhat. "It's been a long night. I should get some sleep before I face Zhao."

"When is your fight?"

"At noon." Azula hesitated for a moment. "Will you be there?"

"Of course," the acrobat smiled at her. "Sleep well, Azula."

* * *

Aang was in an uneasy sleep when he felt two pairs of hands roughly grab onto his shoulders and arms, pulling him from his cell. He opened his mouth to protest, but found that he was gagged. He tried moving his arms and legs, but to his chagrin, they were now bound together. Nervously, he wondered what was going on. Maybe Zhao had changed his mind about keeping him alive.

He was dragged through the ship's brig until finally they reached the prow of the ship, which had opened into a gangplank. Aang blinked a few times, adjusting to the brightness of the sun, which was almost at its peak. He realized that he wasn't at Merchant's Pier any longer. It looked like a small outpost catering to the Fire Nation military.

The guards continued to move him along until they reached a simple four-walled structure with watch fires on four towers at each corner. They brought him through the structure's gate where he could see Commander Zhao and Princess Azula standing in the center, watching his arrival. They were both barefoot and wearing loose brown pants. Zhao was shirtless, while Azula wore a sleeveless brown top to cover her upper body. A ceremonial cloth was draped around each of their shoulders.

Aang then realized what was about to happen, more or less. He remembered from his time visiting his friend Kuzon in the Fire Nation how firebenders dealt with disagreements—with an Agni Kai. What he didn't understand was why he was there.

Azula had insisted on the "prize" being present during the Agni Kai so that when she won, the prisoner exchange could happen quickly. The commander went along with it, looking forward to simply dangling the Avatar in front of her before taking what he wanted from the girl.

The gates slammed shut, and Aang was then brought to the left side of the arena where two other guards—both serving under Azula—joined Zhao's guards in watching over the Avatar. Across the way, on the right side of the arena sat two of Zhao's men and Ty Lee.

"Satisfied, Princess?" Zhao sneered.

Azula nodded, matching his sneer with one of her own. "Let's get this over with."

The two combatants then turned their backs to one another and walked to opposite ends of the platform before kneeling. After a few moments, Azula took a deep breath and stood, allowing her shoulder wrap to fall to the ground. Seconds later, Zhao did the same.

Then, atop the gate, a gong sounded. Azula and Zhao turned to face each other and assumed firebending stances, waiting to see who would fire the first shot. The commander broke first and stepped forward, sending a fireball at the princess. Azula stepped to her right, and the attack passed by harmlessly. She quickly fired off her own attack, which Zhao easily blocked.

They continued exchanging fireballs, but neither of them could land a hit. This was more than okay with Azula, who was merely using this time to observe Zhao's style of fighting. He was powerful, she realized, but undisciplined and too arrogant for his own good.

Frustrated that Azula was evading or blocking all his attacks; Zhao put more ferocity into them and sent forth two streams of fire from his palms. Azula quickly threw up a wall of flame to absorb the fire he sent at her. Before the flames had completely dissipated, the commander crouched forward and shot another fireball at Azula's feet, trying to break her root.

The princess barely saw it in time, but managed to jump up and avoid it. As she came down, she brought her right leg into a side kick, sending an arc of fire toward the commander. Zhao ducked down and the flames passed over him harmlessly.

The commander then brought himself back into his stance and shot off a rapid volley of fireballs, alternating between his fists. Azula smiled a bit, easily blocking each one. On the final volley, Zhao put all his power into the attack, using both hands. It was stronger than Azula had anticipated, and the force of the blast pushed her back as she fell to the ground.

Sensing his opportunity, Zhao took a flying jump toward the princess. As he landed, he fired another fireball at her. Azula rolled out of the way, and as she got up, swept the commander's feet out from under him. The princess sprung back up to her feet as Zhao pushed himself up unsteadily. He was seething now.

Smirking, Azula then advanced on the man—using her feet to create small, but powerful blue waves of flame that rushed toward the commander's legs. Caught off balance, Zhao began to wobble as he attempted to move out of harm's way. Determined to finish the fight, Azula let loose a stream of fire from her fingertips, laying Zhao out on his back.

The princess rushed up to him then. Standing over Zhao, she pointed her index and middle fingers at his face, prepared to deal the final blow. He looked up at her, the anger of defeat written all over his face. As much as Azula detested the man before her, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for him. Her mind flashed back to when she was in the same position. There was no mercy for her.

Technically, she had won the Agni Kai. She had achieved what she had set out to do: she had defended her honor by putting Zhao in his place and now she had the Avatar, enabling her to completely restore her honor in the eyes of the Fire Nation.

Fixing the commander with a hard glare, she let her hand fall to the side. The commander then looked at her with disgust.

"I knew you couldn't do it. What a waste of talent."

Azula scowled at him, but decided not to waste her breath on the man. Turning her back to him, she began to walk toward her prize.

Furious at his defeat, Zhao jumped to his feet, and with a howl of anger, unleashed a fire whip at the princess's back.

Azula saw surprise in the Avatar's eyes as she heard Ty Lee shout, "Azula, look out!"

Quickly turning back around to face the commander, she sidestepped the whip—the flames missing her body by scant inches. In an instant, she launched a firebomb at Zhao, hitting him square in the chest and knocking him back into the dirt with a pained grunt.

Within seconds, Azula was upon the man, her anger now completely consuming her. Zhao looked up and saw the princess's amber eyes filled with a wild fury. Before he could raise his arms in defense, Azula blasted the left side of his face with a fireball. The commander howled in pain as the princess continued to seethe, staring down at him.

Ty Lee cringed at the sound as Zhao's men ran to help their leader to his feet. She brought her gaze to Azula and saw that her aura was churning with black and red. She knew Azula had a temper, but she had never seen the princess lose control of it quite like this before. She calmly got up and walked over to her friend's side, wanting to be close by in case the commander decided to try anything else.

The skin of his left cheek down to his ear was badly burned and would undoubtedly leave a scar that almost matched Azula's—although it wouldn't be as large. His chest also appeared to be charred from the hit he took from Azula's firebomb. The two combatants continued to glare at each other—a million thoughts running through Azula's head, but she was too angry to even speak at the moment. For his part, Zhao was in too much pain to want to move his jaw, but he tried anyway.

"This isn't over," he gritted out before turning his back and walking away with his men.

Azula stared after him until he was out of sight. Hesitantly, Ty Lee placed a hand on the princess's arm. The firebender brought her gaze to the acrobat then—her amber pools a mixture of anger, pain, regret, and shame.

"Azula, it's okay," Ty Lee said quietly, wrapping her arms around the princess in a hug. Azula didn't return it, but let her head rest on the acrobat's shoulder for a moment. "You did what you had to do."

Aang didn't know what to make of everything he had just seen. At first, he found the Agni Kai to have been incredibly exciting to watch. He was surprised when Azula showed Zhao mercy, and totally shocked when he had attacked her from behind after his defeat. Worst of all, he thought, was the sight and sound of Zhao getting burned, and he couldn't help but feel disturbed by it. The monks had always taught him that violence wasn't the answer. However, the sight of the acrobat comforting the princess proved to Aang that, on some level, Azula had been bothered by her own actions. At least, that's the only thing he could think of.

A blast of heat and screaming behind him pulled Aang's attention from the scene in front of him. He heard the dull thud of bodies hitting the ground as the hands that held onto him gripped tighter, pulling him back against the arena wall. He could see the fallen bodies of Azula's guards then.

Azula had heard her men's screams and she and Ty Lee immediately fell into defensive positions. They watched as a dozen of Zhao's soldiers entered the arena. Fresh anger washed over the princess. Zhao was completely disregarding the terms of their Agni Kai, and she realized that he had no intention of letting her leave with the Avatar. In fact, he had no intention of letting her leave at all.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Katara had been directing Appa along the shores of the large Earth Kingdom river for the better part of the morning while Sokka rested in the saddle. After they had gotten back to camp the night before, the waterbender had applied some ointment to the boy's burns and bandaged his arms, making the pain much easier to deal with. Using Aang's newly acquired bison whistle, which Katara found in his bag, they were able to avoid further unnecessary travel by having Appa come directly to them. They slept for a few hours before heading out.

Now it was simply a matter of finding Aang, which they knew wouldn't be an easy task, but they had to try.

* * *

"Surrender now, Princess and we won't harm you," one of Zhao's soldiers called out.

"Surrender?" she asked incredulously. "For what? I am not your enemy."

"For standing in the way of the best interests of the Fire Nation."

"How dare you accuse me of not having my nation's interest at heart?" Azula argued. "Your commander has completely dishonored himself by reneging on our agreement."

"That's not how we understand it," he retorted, dropping into a firebending stance. "One last chance to surrender peacefully."

For a moment, Azula's eyes landed on her two fallen guards—dead at the hands of their fellow countrymen. _"Peacefully?"_ she thought with angry disbelief. She knew that her men deserved a proper funeral pyre, but sadly realized that she probably wouldn't be able to provide them with one. Staying focused on the oncoming threat of Zhao's soldiers was of utmost importance. Azula didn't even want to entertain the idea of what would happen if she and Ty Lee didn't get out of there.

Azula locked eyes on the guard who had been speaking to her then and swiped her arm in a downward motion, sending an arc of blue fire at him. That was all the directive Ty Lee needed, and the acrobat sprang into action—cart wheeling between two soldiers and quickly disabling them with deft punches to their torsos.

The princess threw up a wall of flame as four soldiers released streams of fire at her. Absorbing the heat of their attack, she then generated a whirling fire disc and sent it forward, taking them out. She spared a glance over at the Avatar, and decided that she would not leave without her prize. She would not let Zhao win.

* * *

The healer was busy wrapping Zhao's burns with bandages as the man continued to seethe. He had underestimated Azula, but he would not allow himself to lose face to a banished princess. He would not lose the glory of capturing the Avatar to her no matter the cost.

"Commander?" Zhao's lieutenant asked as he entered the man's quarters.

"Bring every able bodied soldier on this ship down to the arena. Stop Princess Azula from leaving with the Avatar. Try not to harm Lady Ty Lee if possible. I don't want to deal with the fallout from that. I'd also prefer the princess alive," he said coldly as thoughts of revenge danced in his mind.

* * *

Just as Azula and Ty Lee had gained the upper hand, dozens more troops then flooded into the arena, headed by Zhao's lieutenant. Azula realized the commander had sent nearly every solider on his warship to stop them.

"_We don't stand a chance,"_ Azula thought nervously. Ty Lee shot her a worried look as she took a step back, trying to determine the best plan of attack, since escape now seemed impossible.

Zhao's words to the Avatar rang out in Azula's mind then. _"See, if you die, you'll just be reborn, and the Fire Nation will have to begin its search for the Avatar all over again. So, I'll keep you alive—but just barely."_

Thinking fast, Azula ran toward the two guards holding Aang. As she advanced on them, she unleashed two firebombs from each of her fists at the men, knocking them back against the arena wall and into unconsciousness. Azula then grabbed onto the Avatar. Spinning him around so that his back was against her, Azula formed a fire dagger and held it to his throat.

"Stand down or else I'll kill the Avatar right here and now," Azula announced to the growing number of soldiers, causing them to hesitate.

Aang's heart was racing at the feeling of Azula's fire so close to him—the threat of death very real in his mind as his gaze fell on Azula's dead guards at his feet. He knew Zhao wanted to keep him alive, but he knew nothing of Azula's intentions.

"Stand down!" Zhao's lieutenant shouted to the troops.

Suddenly, Aang felt the bonds on his ankles freed, as Azula sent a small wave of flame from her foot in between his legs. He quickly realized why she had done so as the princess nudged his body forward to walk, the dagger never wavering at his neck.

"Let's go, Ty Lee," Azula said.

Never letting her guard down, the acrobat moved closer to Azula, warily watching the soldiers as they left the arena.

"Ty Lee, go on ahead and tell the crew to ready the ship for our departure," Azula said, seeing that there was a clear path to the port, as Zhao had foolishly sent nearly all the men on his warship to face them.

"Are you sure?" Ty Lee asked, her voice laced with uncertainty.

"Just do it!" Azula shouted, not wanting to waste any time. She wanted her ship leaving the port the second she stepped onboard. Nodding, the acrobat then broke into a dead run toward the ship.

Aang had calmed down a bit at this point, realizing that Azula probably didn't intend to kill him after all. As she continued to lead him toward her ship, he worked on loosening the gag in his mouth with his teeth and tongue.

* * *

Zhao stepped out onto the deck of his ship and saw something pink moving further down the dock before disappearing beyond his line of sight. He realized that it had been Ty Lee and briefly entertained the idea that perhaps she was abandoning the princess. That thought didn't last too long as a man wearing a brown uniform began to walk up the gangplank to his ship.

"Commander Zhao."

"What is it?" he growled, his mood foul. A Yu Yan archer now stood before him.

"I have an urgent message from Colonel Shinu. He asked that I deliver it personally," the archer informed him.

Zhao was suddenly distracted by the sight of Azula in the distance with the Avatar in her possession.

"I'm in the midst of dealing with an enemy," Zhao said, his temper flaring once again as he continued to look at the princess. The archer followed his gaze to see what he was referring to, and a thought came to the commander then. "A situation like this requires precision," he realized, looking pointedly at the archer.

"Sir?"

"Princess Azula is now a traitor to the Fire Nation," he lied. "She's preventing the Fire Nation from capturing the Avatar. Time is of the essence! I know you'll be able to hit your target without harming the Avatar. The Yu Yan's talents are legendary."

The archer nodded. He had a message to deliver, but was willing to aid the commander for the time being. Pulling an arrow from his quiver, the archer placed it in his bow, pulled the string taut, and waited.

* * *

Certain that Zhao's soldiers would stay put, Azula continued to move closer to her ship. As it came into view, she noticed with some relief that the steam stacks were releasing smoke. But her relief was short lived.

Azula's ears caught the whistle of wood cutting through the air. An instant later an arrow sunk into her right shoulder—causing the flame of her fire dagger to go out. With a pained cry, the princess fell to the ground, losing her grip on the Avatar.

Shocked, Aang looked up to see an archer on the deck of Zhao's ship hundreds of feet away. He had finally worked the gag loose, and using his breath and his feet, Aang spun around and created a large dust cloud around himself and Azula. Unable to see his target, the Yu Yan archer held his fire.

Aang looked down at Azula, who was now sitting up and clutching at her shoulder, trying to figure out how to deal with the arrow. Aang bit his lower lip, weighing his options.

"I can help you," he finally said, not entirely sure if it was the wisest idea, but Aang found himself unable to just leave the princess at Zhao's mercy.

She looked up at him, trying not to show the confusion that she felt at his offer. But Azula realized that it was either accept his help or be captured by Zhao. Nodding curtly, she agreed to his help.

With her left hand, she formed a fire dagger. Aang's eyes widened slightly.

"Turn around and I'll cut the ropes," she explained through gritted teeth.

Somewhat nervously, the airbender turned around and crouched low, allowing Azula to slice through the bonds that held his arms. He let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding before creating an even thicker cloud of cover. Again, Aang looked back at the princess. He noticed her wound was bleeding quite a bit.

"There isn't much time," Aang said, mostly to himself, as he leaned down to help Azula up. Her eyes filled with pain at the movement of the arrow in her shoulder. Throwing her good arm around his shoulder, the airbender then led Azula into the nearby forest at the edge of the outpost.

* * *

Ty Lee had just finished ordering the crew to prepare for an immediate departure when she turned to see Azula several hundred feet from the ship. Then to her horror, she saw her friend fall to the earth. Before she could register what had happened, her view was blocked by a dust cloud.

Angry tears formed in the acrobat's eyes. Her first instinct was to jump off the ship and aid Azula, but Lieutenant Jee's hand on her arm held her back. Knowing that it wouldn't do any good to run into a situation where she couldn't see, Ty Lee waited and prayed.

Moments later she caught sight of the Avatar helping Azula into the forest. Not wanting to give their location away to Zhao, Ty Lee realized it was best for her to remain on the ship for the time being.

"Jee, order the helmsman to move west. We'll catch up with Azula once we're out of Zhao's line of sight."

* * *

"Where are they?" Zhao seethed as the dust cloud began to dissipate, revealing that Azula and Aang were long gone.

"It doesn't matter," the archer replied. "The message I've come to deliver requires your immediate attention, Commander. It's more important than the Avatar for the time being."

His eyes narrowed, doubtful.

"You're needed at Pohuai Stronghold immediately. Prince Zuko will be arriving there within the next week, and he expects all the naval commanders to be at the stronghold when he arrives."

"But what about the Fire Lord's order for me to capture the Avatar?"

"Colonel Shinu said you might question that," the archer continued, all business. "Prince Zuko's exact order was that you were to be at Pohuai Stronghold with or without the Avatar. It was quite clear," he finished, handing Zhao a scroll with the royal seal, confirming what he had just said.

Knowing that he had no choice but to obey the order of the crown prince, the commander begrudgingly recalled his troops and prepared to head east toward the stronghold. However, the pain from his recent burns would not be easily forgotten, and he promised himself that eventually, he would return the favor ten-fold.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Blood dripped from the arrow wound in Azula's shoulder down her arm and torso, soaking through her brown sleeveless shirt. The shaft of the arrow still jutted out from her skin, and the arrowhead itself was embedded in the muscle. Every step she took jarred it slightly, sending a tremor of pain through her. She grit her teeth, trying to steel herself against the pain. The blood loss was making Azula weaker, causing her to lean more of her weight onto Aang as he continued to help her walk.

Casting a glance behind him, the airbender realized thankfully that they hadn't been followed by any of the soldiers at the outpost. At this point, they were deep enough into the forest where the trees provided ample cover. Aang's eyes darted around as he tried to figure out what to do. He realized Azula's injury needed to be tended to immediately. The problem was, he didn't know how to do that exactly.

Aang knew the arrow had to come out somehow. Then the wound would need to be cleaned and bandaged. He had no way of doing any of those things, but he was determined to at least try to do _something_. Realizing that time was of the essence, the boy scooped her up in his arms.

"I can walk you know," she gritted out, her eyes narrowing to slits as she glared at him. She hated appearing weak in front of the enemy, and it was becoming harder for her to think straight.

"Not as fast as I can carry you," Aang argued as he took off in the direction of water, hoping to at least clean her wound and stop the bleeding.

The princess closed her eyes and tried to focus on her breathing instead of the pain. She knew she was at the Avatar's mercy now.

* * *

Azula's ship had just gone around the river bend—the outpost now out of sight, Ty Lee noticed with some relief. She wondered why Zhao had stayed put, but regardless of the reason, was glad for it.

The acrobat now stood on the deck of the ship, gripping the railing anxiously as her eyes darted around the riverbank and nearby forest, looking for any sight of Azula or Aang. She knew her friend was somewhere in the trees, injured and with the enemy. While she didn't think the Avatar would necessarily harm Azula, Ty Lee wasn't sure what he would do.

All kinds of scenarios ran through the acrobat's mind, ranging from Aang capturing Azula to just leaving her injured in the woods. Ty Lee knew that there wasn't much rhyme or reason to most of those scenarios, but in her nervousness, she couldn't stop the thoughts from coming.

"That's it. I'm going to look for her," Ty Lee finally said, her only concern at that moment retrieving her princess.

No sooner were the words out of her mouth than the girl saw a blur of orange and brown in the trees.

"What is that?" Jee said, pointing in the direction of the movement.

Ty Lee's eyes widened slightly as she saw the Avatar—light on his feet as always—carrying an obviously injured and bleeding Azula out of the woods. Her surprise was quickly replaced by an expression of determination as she fixed her eyes on the airbender. Jee and the others onboard readied themselves for a confrontation.

Aang hadn't been planning on running into Azula's crew—his main goal simply trying to get to the water—but now that he had, he quickly changed his thoughts. Surely her own people could take care of her now, leaving him clear of having to deal with her arrow wound. He glanced down at Azula, who's breathing had become shallower.

Again, he bit his lip, trying to decide what to do. He saw the way Azula's crew was looking at him, and for his own safety, he thought he should leave her on the shore. But then it would take her crew some time to get to her, and it wasn't time she necessarily had.

With a sigh, he looked up at Ty Lee as he continued moving closer. "I'm not here to fight you. Your friend is injured and needs your help. Let me board your ship," Aang called out.

The acrobat believed him and nodded, relaxing her posture somewhat. The remainder of the crew, however, still prepared for a possible attack. Like all members of the Fire Nation, they had been taught since childhood that the Avatar was the enemy standing in the way of their country achieving greatness. They also remembered what he had done to them not so long ago at the South Pole—the kind of power that the boy could wield.

Using his airbending to propel himself over the water, Aang then created a small wave with his feet, pushing him up to the afterdeck of Azula's ship. Ty Lee ran over to where he landed with several of the other crew members. The acrobat gasped at the sight of the arrow protruding from Azula's shoulder and the blood that flowed.

Aang gently lowered Azula to the deck, fully aware of the tense energy around him. The princess let out a soft moan of pain as he released his hold on her. Ty Lee and Jee were instantly on the ground by her side. Aang took an awkward step back, not really sure what to do. Part of him wanted to run, while the other part felt compelled to make sure Azula was alright.

A war was taking place within Azula. She had always seen the Avatar as the enemy—having been taught since her childhood that he was the only one standing in the way of the Fire Nation's progress. As such, she had tried to capture him. Her motivation was two-fold: it was a condition required for her banishment to be lifted and honor restored, as well being in the best interest of the Fire Nation.

Despite the fact that the Avatar had helped her, Azula knew what she had to do. Opening her eyes, she looked up at Ty Lee. The acrobat could see the pain in her amber irises.

"Azula," Ty Lee said softly, trying to soothe her. "Just hang in there, alright. We'll get this taken care of."

"Don't let him escape," Azula said through clenched teeth.

Upon hearing the princess's command, Aang's small hope that things could be different between them was shattered. He knew he had to get out of there immediately. He turned to jump off the ship the way he came, but a stream of fire aimed at him immediately ended that idea, as he narrowly dodged the attack. His escape from the afterdeck was cutoff, but he saw that he had a clear path into the ship's tower and ran inside, hoping to lose Azula's guards somehow.

"Ty Lee, get him," Azula urged her friend, her voice strained as she stared after her guards chasing the Avatar into the ship.

"No, Azula," Ty Lee said with a sad shake of her head, disobeying the princess for the first time in her life. The acrobat could see Azula's anger flare up slightly in her aura. "This is more important," she explained, gesturing to her friend's wound.

As the acrobat spoke, Jee had used a fire dagger to slice through the arrow shaft, removing the fletching. "Help me lift her up to sit," the lieutenant said to Ty Lee.

Together, they pulled Azula up. The princess let them do whatever it was they were going to do. She knew that Jee had experience with all assortments of battle wounds.

"Here, sit in front of her and lean her body against yours," he continued, and Ty Lee complied. "I'm going to have to push the rest of the arrow all the way through."

Ty Lee took in a nervous breath, as Azula braced herself for the inevitable pain. With a strong push on the shaft, Jee shoved the arrow through to Azula's back body. The princess couldn't help herself, and a cry escape her lips at the sensation of the metal and wood piercing through her. Tears came to Ty Lee's eyes, as she ran a soothing hand through the girl's hair.

"Almost there, Princess," Jee said sympathetically.

He then pulled out his waterskin and cleaned out her wound. From what he could see, there wasn't any dirt. However, there was still the issue of stopping her bleeding, and the puncture was large enough that stitches wouldn't do the trick.

"I'm going to have to cauterize this," he realized.

Azula grimaced. She had been burned before—many times—but it wasn't something she had ever gotten used to.

Placing the palms of each of his hands on either side of Azula's wound, Jee sent a concentrated flame out, burning the skin closed. The princess's left hand gripped tightly onto Ty Lee's shirt as sweat formed on her back. Moments later, the searing pain ended and Azula slumped into her friend's arms, breathing heavily.

"It's okay now," Ty Lee said softly. Azula could hear the tears in her voice.

* * *

Aang had managed to evade the slow-footed soldiers' pursuit by ducking into an empty room. He let his back lean up against the door as he heard their footsteps trudge by—clueless of his whereabouts. Taking a moment to catch his breath, the airbender glanced around the room and realized it belonged to Princess Azula. A grin came to his face as he spotted his airbending staff resting in the corner.

As he ran to retrieve it, he noticed something that was in stark contrast to shades of red, gold, and black in the room—a blue ribbon—Katara's necklace. The thought of being able to return this to his friend made his smile grow even wider, and he deftly snatched it from the princess's dresser and pocketed it.

After grabbing his staff, Aang poked his head out the doorway. Seeing that the coast was clear, he made a run for the door that led to the foredeck.

* * *

"We have to get the Avatar before he gets off this ship," Azula said with a grimace as she pushed herself up to stand with Ty Lee's help.

As they stood, she saw Appa in the western sky flying toward them. Suddenly, her decision to not take the Water Tribe teens prisoner seemed like a mistake.

"Dammit," she said, scowling and causing Ty Lee and Jee to look up as well.

Ignoring the pain in her right shoulder and feeling lightheaded from the loss of blood, Azula began to make her way to the foredeck, determined to stop Aang from escaping.

* * *

Aang was almost out the door when a series of fireballs came at him from the left and right. Jumping up, he avoiding the attack and as he came down, he used his staff to slice through the air. The wind from his air slice took down the two soldiers to the left. Quickly turning to the right, he saw another pair of soldiers. Both shot at him with streams of fire. Twirling his staff in front of him, Aang dissipated the flames. Again he sliced the air with his wooden weapon, sending the firebenders back against the walls.

Grabbing the handle of the door, he opened it, revealing the long foredeck of Azula's ship. As he stepped out, the sight that greeted him was unexpected but very welcome. In the distance, he could see his sky bison. The boy's gray eyes lit up as he popped open his glider.

* * *

"Sokka, I think I've found Azula's ship," Katara informed her brother, who was still resting in the bison's saddle.

The boy then moved from his reclined position to peer down over the river. "Azula doesn't have Aang, remember? Those other Fire Navy guys got him."

"Yeah, I know," Katara said with a sigh before catching a glimpse of orange and yellow on the deck. "Wait, I think that's Aang."

"Huh?"

The waterbender urged Appa to fly a little faster. As they got closer, her suspicions were confirmed. "It is Aang!"

* * *

"Not so fast, Avatar," he heard Azula's voice behind him.

Aang turned to face the fire princess, staff at the ready, but he could see that she was in no condition to fight at anywhere near full strength. However, Ty Lee, who stood at her side, was more than able.

"I don't want to fight you, Azula," he said, his gray eyes almost pleading with her.

"_You must overcome your shameful weakness. __There is only way you can restore your honor—capture the Avatar,"_ the memory of her father's dark voice warned her.

There was no other option, Azula realized. With a yell, she stepped forward and launched a powerful firebomb with her good arm at Aang—putting all her energy into the attack. The airbender twirled his staff in an attempt to block it, but the force knocked him onto his back.

Pain shot through Azula's shoulder again as she fell to her knees, clutching at her newly closed wound. Ty Lee instinctively went to help her friend instead of attacking the Avatar. The princess shook her head. "Get him," she ordered.

Obeying, Ty Lee flipped forward to face Aang. He had just hopped back on his feet when he saw those dangerous fists headed toward him. Taking a deep breath, he exhale sharply through his mouth—sending the girl flying back into Jee, who was getting ready to join in the fight.

Without hesitation, Aang popped open his glider and ran along the length of the foredeck. Using his airbending, he lifted up, away from the ship, and glided toward Appa and his friends.

Azula stared after them from her seat on the deck, as the bitter taste of defeat set in.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

"Are you hurt?" Katara asked, pulling out of their embrace as she took in the sight of Aang.

"I'm just a little tired and hungry, but otherwise I'm fine," he replied, glancing down at the trees that populated the Earth Kingdom forest.

"Then why is there blood on your clothes?"

"It's not mine," he said with a frown, bringing his gaze back to his friend.

Sokka didn't seem the least bit phased by that bit of information. However, Katara looked more than a little shocked, thinking he had caused someone else to bleed. Aang noticed and rushed to explain.

"I didn't do it," he began. "Azula was injured. I carried her to her ship."

"Wait, back up," Sokka said. "Why would you help her?"

"Someone from the Fire Nation shot her with an arrow. I think they might have killed her or something if I had left her there," he said.

"And then she repays you by attacking you?" Katara said with disbelief. She had seen Azula launch a firebomb at Aang while he was still on the ship.

Aang sighed. "She sees me as the enemy. I'm not really sure what her story is, but the little bit I was able to figure out during the time I was a prisoner is that Azula's lost her honor. And somehow, bringing me to the Fire Lord will restore it." He paused, looking at his friends thoughtfully. "Are _you guys_ alright?"

"You already know about my burns," Sokka replied, holding his bandaged arms up for Aang to see. Aang nodded with a frown. "Katara thinks I might have a concussion too."

"I'm sorry, Sokka."

"Eh, it's okay. I'll be fine," he said, trying to reassure Aang.

"Now that we've found you, it will probably good for all of us to rest and recover a bit before continuing on to the North Pole," Katara explained.

"The forest should provide us with enough cover so the Fire Nation won't find us for awhile," Sokka added.

"Good idea," Aang agreed.

The trio traveled for a few more miles before deciding to land and set up camp. A short time later, all three fell asleep—exhaustion finally catching up to them.

* * *

Azula lay on her bed staring up at the ceiling, her mind swirling with emotion—anger, frustration, and regret fighting for dominance. Her shoulder ached fiercely, and she couldn't help but think the universe was taunting her—letting her get close enough to taste victory before snatching it away in the cruelest of ways.

A knock on the door that the princess knew to be Ty Lee interrupted her thoughts. The acrobat didn't wait for a response and opened the door. With a sigh, she softly closed the door behind her and padded over to Azula's bedside, taking a seat beside the firebender.

"How are you holding up?"

"I don't know," she replied simply, still staring at the ceiling and trying to maintain control of her emotions even though she felt like she was going to lose it any second. "I don't know what to feel, Ty Lee. Two of my men died today. I lost the Avatar. And Zhao… that bastard…" She stopped speaking as a surge of anger flared up in her at the thought of everything that had happened today.

For once, the acrobat didn't know what to say. Ever the optimist, she could usually find a way to cheer Azula up. But even she was having a hard time seeing the positive side of the day's events. Ruon and Xu—two men she had been traveling with for the better part of a year—were now dead. Her best friend had been seriously injured by an arrow. All of this happened at the hands of their fellow countrymen—all because of Zhao's pride.

Azula seethed quietly for a few minutes longer before closing her eyes. She felt utterly defeated in that moment. Finally, she turned her head to look up at Ty Lee. "Do you ever wish you could just do things over?"

"Sometimes," the acrobat admitted. "What do you want to do over?"

"That war meeting my father invited me to."

Ty Lee remained silent. Azula had never told her what had happened in that meeting. She only saw the result in the arena. It was something she had wanted to know, but Azula wasn't forthcoming about it. The acrobat knew better than to push.

"Beforehand, Zuko approached me. He said he wanted to offer me some advice. I knew better than to listen, but I still made a huge mistake."

"_So, Azula, I hear Dad invited you to the next war meeting," Zuko began as he took a seat beside his sister in the royal spa, who was busy getting her nails manicured. She could hear the tinge of jealousy in his voice._

_For the life of her, Azula couldn't understand why Zuko would be jealous. He was the favored one, the heir to the throne. But the boy was used to his father lavishing only him with praise and didn't like that recently some of it was being shown to Azula._

_When Ozai had learned that she could bend lightning, his interest in his daughter piqued—perhaps the Academy had helped her to overcome her weaknesses, he had thought. He still resented his daughter, but she could be a useful tool with that kind of power, he realized. However, Zuko still couldn't bend lightning, and it was something Ozai had been quick to point out to him. Zuko felt he had to knock Azula down a peg._

"_You know, I've been attending these meetings for years—always sitting at Father's right hand," he added, making sure to point out his superiority to her. "I thought you might like a little advice."_

"_That would be helpful," Azula replied, trying not to roll her eyes. He was always so condescending towards her these days. She had a fairly good idea what happened in these meetings—generals and admirals met with the royal family to discuss war strategies._

"_When discussing war strategies, it's good to cover any and all options as well as opinions. You should feel free to share your thoughts on these matters. I'm sure Father would appreciate your insight."_

_Azula's eyes narrowed. "I'll be sure to do that," she replied, knowing that she should do just the opposite._

_Zuko smirked as he got up to leave. "See you at the meeting then."_

_

* * *

Fire Lord Ozai sat on his throne with his two children—his two prizes to be shown off to his generals and admirals—seated on either side of him. As always, Zuko was at his right. And now Azula sat to his left._

"_War Minister Qin, I understand you have some news for us," Ozai began._

"_Yes, majesty. We have discovered a group of Earth Kingdom refugees living at the Northern Air Temple."_

"_And why is this of any importance to our meeting?" came the impatient voice of the Fire Lord._

"_Well, there is a man living there—an inventor. He has agreed to supply us with weapons and armor in exchange for his people's safety."_

"_I see," Ozai said, somewhat interested. "This could prove to have advantages—seeing as it's so close to the North Pole—especially if we maintain a level of secrecy. I'll agree to it. But if they show the slightest sign of going back on their agreement, wipe them out."_

"_Yes, majesty."_

"_General Kanzo, you've expressed some concerns about the Earth Kingdom's war criminals," Ozai said, moving onto the next topic of the meeting._

"_Yes, Fire Lord Ozai. We continue to be victorious in the Earth Kingdom's northwestern territories and are now making headway into the southwest as well. But we're running into a logistical problem. There is overcrowding in our prisons, and it's taking too long to build more in time."_

"_I agree. This is becoming more problematic. Any suggestions?" Ozai asked his audience._

"_I have a suggestion, Father," Zuko replied._

"_Yes, Prince Zuko?"_

"_The earthbenders are already being put to good use, being used on mining rigs and the like. But the nonbenders are fairly useless. They might as well just be killed off," Zuko began. His casual cruelty stirred something in Azula, and she found herself gripping the arm of her chair. "We should make it interesting though. After all, our own soldiers work hard enough as it is. They deserve some entertainment. Why don't we have the prisoners kill each other off for our amusement?"_

"_Sounds intriguing, Prince Zuko," Ozai replied with a sadistic smile. "What do you think of this, General Kanzo?"_

"_I think this is an excellent idea, Fire Lord Ozai. Of course there is the issue of the prisoners who have injuries. They wouldn't be able to fight." He paused, thoughtful for a moment. A cruel smile came to his face then. "Perhaps we could feed them to the saber tooth moose lions for sport."_

_Something went off in Azula then. She couldn't believe what she was hearing and all thoughts of waiting to speak until being spoken to went out the window._

"_They may be our enemies, but how could you suggest something so cruel!" Azula shouted at the general as she shot up from her chair. Zuko sat in his seat smirking, his golden eyes flashing with mirth. The conversation had gone exactly as he had hoped._

"_Azula, silence yourself!" Ozai commanded, and the princess immediately slunk back down to her seat. His angry eyes were on her. "You have shown a complete disrespect for this court with that outburst. There is only one way to resolve this—Agni Kai."_

"_As you wish," she replied, glaring at the general. Zuko looked at her amusedly, like he often did—like he knew something that she didn't._

_

* * *

Azula entered the arena a few hours later. Many high ranking military officers and nobles were present—including Princess Mai and Ty Lee. Dressed in the traditional Agni Kai clothing, Azula crouched at the end of the arena with her back facing the center. Long moments passed, and there was an uneasy silence in the crowd. Azula ignored it, keeping her eyes fixed on the ground, preparing herself for the duel with the general._

_The gong sounded and she rose, allowing the ceremonial brown cloth to fall from her shoulder. The gong sounded a second time and she turned to face her opponent. Her jaw went slack. In front of her was not General Kanzo, but rather Fire Lord Ozai._

_Azula immediately prostrated on the floor before him—it was like she had been hardwired to submit to him. Ozai glared down at his daughter._

"_Rise, Princess Azula," he growled._

_With a shaky breath, Azula obeyed and pushed herself back up to stand, but her arms remained at her side._

"_You seem surprised to see me in the arena. It was _my_ war room you spoke out of turn in. So it is _me_ you disrespected."_

"_I didn't mean any disrespect, Father," she replied, keeping her gaze lowered._

"_You will fight for your honor."_

_Honor. A word that carried so much significance in the Fire Nation—the eyes of the nation upon her now. Suddenly, the words of her uncle Iroh came to her: _"Honor is not something that ever needs to be defended."

"_I won't fight you," she said, looking up at him._

_Ozai was furious by yet another act of disrespect in public by his daughter. "You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher," he threatened, advancing on her._

_Azula's eyes widened in fear and for a moment she felt frozen. Ozai's palm was in her face then as he let loose a flame. Azula screamed as it seared her left cheek and neck. The Fire Lord extinguished his flame then, looking upon the princess with disgust as she fell to her knees, covering her face with her hands._

"_I see that you were not able to overcome the weakness you displayed as a child. Today, you not only defended the enemy, but you disgraced yourself by refusing to fight. You have shown shameful weakness and disrespect. As punishment you are hereby banished. Only when you capture the Avatar can you return with your honor."_

_Ozai turned his back and began to leave the arena as Azula curled in on herself in pain. Zuko sat next to his wife, a satisfied grin on his face. Mai's expression betrayed none of the turmoil she felt, but she felt like she was going to be sick. As always, she kept up the façade of being cool and collected._

_Once the Fire Lord had left, Ty Lee—tears running down her face—made her way to the platform and helped lead the disgraced princess from the arena and out of the Fire Nation._

* * *

"What General Kanzo suggested was cruel and wrong. I don't regret speaking against his idea. But I wish I hadn't spoken out of turn," Azula said, her fingers unconsciously brushing against the scar on her face.

"I'm sorry, Azula," Ty Lee said sadly, pulling Azula's left hand away from her face and taking it in hers. "Do you… well, do you ever wish you had actually fought your dad in the Agni Kai?"

"My uncle once told me that honor wasn't something that needed to be defended. That's why I didn't fight. But after having it taken away from me by my own father, I'm not so sure what my uncle said was true. Or maybe I didn't understand what he meant, which is more likely. I probably would have lost the Agni Kai anyway—my father is the greatest firebender in the world—but maybe I should have tried. Maybe then Ruon and Xu would still be alive today. You could have joined the circus, and I wouldn't have so many scars," she finished glancing down at her now bandaged arrow wound.

Ty Lee frowned thoughtfully for a moment, searching for something to say to cheer Azula up. "What was it that Li and Lo used to tell us at the Academy? Something about polished gems."

"A gem is not polished without rubbing, nor a person perfected without trials," Azula recited, recalling one of her old masters' favorite sayings.

"That was it," Ty Lee said, brightening a bit. "I think that's like you, Azula. All these things—these trials—it's the universe's way of helping you reach your potential."

Azula simply raised an eyebrow at her friend, seriously doubting that at the moment, but not in the mood to really argue with her. She was too tired. "Maybe," she said with a sigh, closing her eyes once again. "Maybe."


	15. Chapter 15

**Author's Note:** I admit this is kind of a filler chapter, but it's meant to show where Azula and the gAang are at relative to the timeline of the canon story. Also, due to events in the previous three chapters, the gAang's adventures are playing out a bit differently than they did in canon (but still similar).

The next chapter will be more interesting—I promise :D

* * *

**Chapter 15**

It was early the next morning when Azula woke. Grimacing, she got up from her bed, refusing to skip her practice, despite her injury. After slipping her right arm into a sling that Jee had insisted she wear, Azula made her way out of her cabin. As she stepped out onto the deck, she took in the sight of the sun rising up from the eastern horizon. She inhaled deeply, feeling the power the sun infused her with.

The princess knew her practice would be limited, but she had to get used to bending with just one arm in case she needed to fight in between now and the time her shoulder was healed. She began by moving slowly through the most basic of katas, feeling things out and modifying as she went. Most forms she knew not to even try, as they either required use of both arms or would indirectly put too much of a strain on her injury. Once or twice she pushed a little too far, resulting in a sharp pang of pain to shoot through her shoulder.

The injury forced Azula to be even more focused on her chi and her inner fire than she normally was. Proper breath control was always important, and she found that it kept her balanced and centered, despite the fact that she didn't have use of one of her arms.

A short time later, Jee came out to the deck, simply watching Azula's modified forms. He knew he shouldn't have been surprised to see her on deck this morning, but he was just the same.

"How's the shoulder feel?" he asked as she finished off her final move.

"The sling helps," Azula replied, not wanting to dwell on it. "Any word on the Avatar's whereabouts?"

Jee shook his head. "Nothing yet, Princess. We lost sight of the bison over the forest yesterday and haven't seen it since."

"I wish I knew where the Avatar was going and what he was doing exactly. He doesn't seem to stay in one place for very long, but he must have some destination."

"Well, the Air Nomads are just that—nomads," Jee reasoned.

"But he has two Water Tribe teens with him. People of the Water Tribe wouldn't just pick up and wander around the way nomads would. I have a feeling they're actually going somewhere. " Azula paused, thinking over the various places they had trailed the Avatar to. In all the excitement of the last few days, she had overlooked one obvious sign that hinted to where they were going.

"They stole a waterbending scroll. What need would the Avatar have for a scroll like that if he was a master of all elements?" Her mind flashed back to their battle on Kyoshi Island, when all he had done was airbend. And while the Water Tribe girl was clearly a waterbender, it was obvious that she had never studied the art with a master and therefore could teach the Avatar little more than the basics.

Suddenly, it dawned on Azula. "Ever since they've left the South Pole, they've been going north. They must be going to the North Pole to find a waterbending master." The satisfaction she felt from figuring that out was short lived. "The Northern Water Tribe is a massive fortress of ice and frozen tundra. Once he gets there, I doubt I'll be able to capture him. We have to find him before then. Tell the helmsman to head toward the Makapu River."

* * *

Aang, Katara, and Sokka had just finished eating breakfast when Aang noticed that something—or rather, someone—was missing.

"Where's Momo?" he asked.

Suddenly, the lemur's yowl echoed through the forest. Aang jumped to his feet, as all three of them looked around, trying to determine where Momo's cry for help had come from.

After a few moments of following the sound of his pet's urgent calls, Aang spotted him caught in a trap high in the treetops. Sweeping his arms, the boy airbent himself up into the trees.

"Hang on, Momo!"

Grabbing onto the rope that held the trap suspended from the tree's branch, Aang gently slackened it, allowing the trap—and Momo—to lower to the forest floor. There, Katara helped to release the lemur by pulling open the metal slates of the trap. Momo immediately hopped out of his prison—litchi nuts in hand—his previous peril all but forgotten.

Aang then jumped down, but something from above caught his attention, and he looked back up. Sokka and Katara noticed and also looked up. Two other traps were suspended above with hog monkeys. Having noticed Momo's escape, they looked down at Aang and moaned pleadingly.

"Alright, you too," Aang agreed, crouching down and then springing up in a spiraling column of airbent wind. After repeating the same process he had in freeing in Momo, the snares came crashing down to the ground, releasing the hog monkeys. The beasts quickly ran off into the woods on all fours as Aang landed back on his feet besides his friends.

Sokka then walked over to one of the broken traps. Kneeling down, he began to examine it. "These are Fire Nation traps. You can tell from the metalwork. We'd better pack up camp, and get moving."

Nodding in agreement, Katara and Aang began to gather their belongings.

"I still don't think we should fly though. Appa's too noticeable, and we need to lose Azula and Zhao's trails," Sokka said.

"You're right," Katara said. "But you should still take it easy. Why don't you ride on Appa's saddle while Aang and I walk?" The waterbender turned to face the sky bison and scratched his nose affectionately. "You don't mind that, do you, Appa?"

The bison murmured in response, indicating that he didn't mind at all.

Finally packed and ready to leave, the group walked for several miles, which eventually began to wear on Aang's patience. But he knew it was in their best interest to continue on foot for the time being, so kept his thoughts to himself.

They made a few stops along the way, mainly to eat and give their legs a rest, as well as tend to Sokka's injury. Flying on Appa the last couple of months had definitely spoiled them.

"The sun's going to set soon," Katara said, wishing the winter days weren't so short, but also glad it gave them an excuse to stop walking. "I think we've put enough distance between ourselves and our last campsite. Let's look for someplace to set up camp."

Appa was happy for the rest and came to a stop. "You did good today, buddy," Aang said, patting him on the head as Sokka made his way down from the saddle.

The trio then began to look for a suitable clearing they could use to set up their gear.

"Maybe we'll find something this way," Aang said, pulling back the branches of two red-leafed bushes for his friends to walk through.

Noticing the expressions on Katara and Sokka's faces, Aang turned to see that they had just walked into a clearing with a Fire Nation encampment in it. On the opposite end of the clearing were three pavilion tents and an active fire pit with logs as benches on two sides. To their chagrin, the camp was occupied.

Many of the soldiers were sitting around the fires, getting ready to sit down for dinner. Having noticed the arrival of Katara, Sokka, and Aang, they looked up in surprise. One of the soldiers—the captain—wore a patch over his eye. Fixing the intruders with a hard glare, he stood from his seat.

"Run!" Sokka yelled.

The soldiers leapt up from their seats, swords at the read. The one-eyed captain took a firebending stance and launched a fistful of fire at them. The fire missed them but set the bushes behind them alight.

"We're cut off," Katara said worriedly, uncorking her water skin. All three of them dropped into their stances, ready to fight—even though they were severely outnumbered.

"If you let us pass, we promise not to hurt you," Sokka said to the captain.

"What are you doing?" Katara asked him under her breath.

"Bluffing?"

The captain smiled, clearly amused. "You? Promise not to hurt us?" he asked.

The sound of a quiet zip cut through the air then, followed by a dull thud. The captain wore a look of surprise for a moment, then groaned in pain as he collapsed face first on the ground. The rest of the men lowered their weapons a little, unsure of what had just happened.

"Nice work, Sokka! How'd you do that?" Aang asked.

"Uh, it wasn't me," he replied, eyes darting around.

"Look!" Katara exclaimed, pointing up toward the tree branches.

Standing above them on a massive tree branch was an Earth Kingdom teen, dressed in dark green clothing and a red rest—topped off with a few pieces of armor, all slightly mismatched. He had a shaggy mop of brown hair and a small twig in between his teeth. A slight grin came to his face as he drew his twin hook swords from his back, readying to take out the Fire Nation soldiers.

* * *

Shortly after sundown, Azula and Ty Lee sat on the foredeck drinking hot black tea as Jee played his pipa and sang traditional Fire Nation songs. Several other crew members also sat on deck to either listen or join in with their own playing.

"Jee, don't you know any other songs?" Azula asked, growing bored of hearing the man play the same songs every time they had music night on the ship. She found that things like this helped to keep her crew happy, but they really needed some new material.

Jee looked thoughtful for a moment. "As a matter of fact, I do. Your uncle taught me a few songs that he learned during his time in the Earth Kingdom."

Azula's eyes brightened as a small smile came to her face.

"That sounds wonderful, Jee! We'd love to hear something new," Ty Lee exclaimed.

"This one is called 'Four Seasons,'" Jee said before plucking the strings of his instrument to create a sweet melody.

It sounded very different from the Fire Nation songs the girls had previously heard. Everything had a militaristic flair to it, even the folk music. But this Earth Kingdom song almost had a lightness to it. Azula decided she liked it. And it didn't hurt that it was a song her uncle had enjoyed as well.

Jee's voice then came in after a few bars of playing just the pipa:

"Winter, spring, summer, and fall.  
Winter, spring, summer, and fall.  
Four seasons, four loves.  
Four seasons for love."

As the song came to a close, the crew broke out in applause.

Azula smiled sadly as she closed her eyes in remembrance. _"I miss you, Uncle."_


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

Azula, Ty Lee, and Jee stood on the foredeck of their ship. They had just reached the open sea, which they would travel on for a bit before reaching the mouth of Makapu River. Jee sniffed the air as Azula gazed through her spyglass for any sign of the Avatar's sky bison.

"There's a storm coming. A big one," Jee stated.

Azula lowered her spyglass, fixing the man with an odd look. "But the weather's perfect. There isn't a cloud in sight."

"The storm is approaching from the north. I suggest we make port soon."

"We can't afford to fall behind the Avatar."

"But what about the safety of the crew?" Ty Lee asked.

Azula gritted her teeth in frustration. "Fine. We'll stop for the night." Bringing her gaze up to the helmsman, she commanded, "Head back to the western shore of the colonies to make port."

* * *

Zhao sat in one of the meeting rooms at Pohuai Stronghold. Prince Zuko had just arrived and wanted to meet with him privately. Just as the commander began to feel a touch of impatience, the door opened. Preparing to greet the fire prince, the man rose from his seat.

"Prince Zuko," Zhao said with a bow as the young man entered the room.

"Commander Zhao," Zuko replied, looking him over. "What happened to your face?"

"A bit of an accident in the engine room," the man lied, too prideful to admit what had happened with the prince's inferior sibling.

"I see," the prince replied, not really believing the commander. It didn't matter though. There were more important things to attend to. "I'm sure you're wondering why I've summoned you to the stronghold."

"Yes, your highness. I thought I was to capture the Avatar."

"In light of some new information, the Fire Lord has had a change of plans. When the Fire Sages first informed us that the Avatar had returned, we assumed he had been in hiding for a hundred years, making him a very powerful and fully realized Avatar. However, it seems that the Avatar is nothing but a twelve-year-old child and a far cry from the master of all elements. He is still an enemy to the Fire Nation of course, but there is no way he is powerful enough to stop us before Sozin's Comet arrives.

"I have decided to lead a full scale invasion of the Northern Water Tribe. For too long they have resisted the Fire Nation, and if there are no waterbenders left free in the world, then there will be no one to teach the Avatar waterbending.

"I need your troops for this mission, but more importantly, I need you. I understand you've discovered a way to permanently weaken the Water Tribe, and the Fire Lord intends to reward you for your loyal service—Admiral Zhao."

"Thank you, Prince Zuko," he replied as his chest swelled with pride.

Zuko inwardly smirked. Zhao was so easy to play.

* * *

"Looks like Jee was right about that storm," Ty Lee commented as she gazed out the window, watching the swell of dark clouds descending from the northern sky. "I'm glad we won't be stuck on the ship tonight in that weather."

"Hmm," Azula agreed as she sat down on the bed in the inn.

The acrobat turned to face the princess then. "Do you need anything else, Azula?"

"Besides the Avatar, no," she said, looking past her friend and out the window of her room.

Ty Lee frowned slightly, wishing there was someway to make that happen at the moment. "I'll be next door if you need me," she finally said.

"Alright. Goodnight, Ty Lee," she said, glancing back at the girl.

"Goodnight, Azula," she replied with a smile, leaving the princess alone in her room.

It had been three days since the Yu Yang archer had shot her with the arrow, and her shoulder still ached. The change in air pressure only seemed to make it worse. Azula sighed as she brought her gaze back to the window. She could hear the thunder rumbling in the distance as a bolt of lightning danced across the sky.

"_The brightest thunderbolt is elicited from the darkest storms.__"_

"_Strange how Uncle's words come back to me even now. It's been so long…"_ Azula's mind stopped at the memory of when she had last seen him.

"_Uncle Iroh… Cousin Lu Ten…" a seven year old Azula greeted her relatives as she walked out to the gardens. She was surprised to see them at the Academy._

"_Hello, Azula," Iroh replied with a warm smile, as he squat down opening his arms wide. The young princess grinned and ran into his embrace._

"_Hi, Azula," Lu Ten said as he playfully ruffled the girl's hair._

"_What are you doing here?" she asked after pulling out of Iroh's hug._

"_Lu Ten and I are going away for awhile," Iroh began. "We wanted to see you before we left."_

"_Father's leading a siege on Ba Sing Se," Lu Ten clarified, beaming slightly with pride at his father's legendary status as a Fire Nation general. This was the first battle the nineteen-year-old prince would take part in, and he was excited to do so under Iroh's command._

"_I wish I could go with you," Azula said, picking up on her cousin's enthusiasm._

"_When you're older," the boy replied with a crooked grin. "How's your firebending training going?"_

"_Good. I've mastered all the basic katas."_

"_Already?" Iroh asked with a smile. "I'd love to see a demonstration." The general took a seat on one of the garden benches as his son sat beside him._

_The young prodigy took her stance several feet away from her family and began to move through the forms perfectly. Iroh's eyes twinkled a bit. It seemed that in the environment of the Royal Fire Academy for Girls, his niece was able to thrive here. Unlike when he had last seen her at the palace, she was confident in her movements, and he could see that she was completely focused on her firebending—like she was the element of fire itself._

_When she finished, Azula saw that her uncle and cousin were smiling at her, obviously impressed with her firebending._

"_Wow, that was great, Azula," Lu Ten said, causing the girl to smile in return._

_Iroh nodded in agreement. "If you keep that up, you will be bending lightning in no time," he said._

"_You really think so?" she asked._

"_I know so."_

"_I'll miss you both," she said._

"_We'll miss you too. But we won't be apart for too long," Iroh said, pulling her into another hug. "I promise."_

* * *

When Azula woke the next morning, the sun was pouring in through her window. She murmured in appreciation at the warmth it provided. The clear sky gave no indication that there had even been a storm.

After a light practice and a quick breakfast, Azula's crew headed back to the ship. Once they were settled, they began to travel north, heading to the Makapu River.

Settling back into her quarters, Azula went over to the small black chest and pulled out a bundle wrapped in red cloth and tied with black string. Tucked inside the string was a small scroll—a letter her uncle had sent from the front lines during his siege on Ba Sing Se.

_If the city is as magnificent as its wall, Ba Sing Se must be something to behold. I hope you may see it someday. Until then, enjoy this gift—a set of dolls from all four nations. Your mother used to collect dolls just like this._

When she had first received this package, the young princess's interest had been piqued. She didn't know too much about her mother other than what Iroh told her, as Ozai refused to speak to her during most of her childhood unless he was scolding her in some way.

She carefully unwrapped the package that came with the letter then, revealing four, small porcelain dolls—each differentiated by the color of their clothes, skin, and eyes. The note went on to describe them.

_The doll in the black and red dress is from the Fire Nation. Fire is the element of power. She has desire and will, and the energy and drive to achieve what she wants._

_The doll in the green and brown dress is from the Earth Kingdom. Earth is the element of substance. She is diverse and strong—persistent and enduring._

_The doll in the yellow and orange robes is from the Air Nomads. Air is the element of freedom. She has detached herself from worldly concerns and found peace and freedom._

_The doll in the blue and white kimono is from the Water Tribe. Water is the element of change. She is capable of adapting to many things. Her people have a deep sense of community and love that holds them together through anything._

_It is important to draw wisdom from many different places. If we take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale. Understanding others, the other elements, and the other nations will help you become whole._

"_I wish I understood what you were trying to tell me, Uncle,"_ Azula thought. _"If only I could ask… I'll never be able to."_

Her mind flashed back to when she had learned of her uncle and cousin's deaths. The headmistress had called her into the office to deliver the tragic news.

"_Please have a seat, Princess," she began and the young prodigy complied. "I'm afraid I have some sad news. General Iroh and Prince Lu Ten were killed in battle."_

_Azula blinked. She couldn't be hearing right. It couldn't be true. She told herself that it was just some terrible nightmare that she was going to wake up from any minute._

_She pinched her arm._

_She didn't wake up._

"_May I be excused, headmistress?" Azula asked, not wanting to lose her composure in front of this woman, preferring the privacy of her own room._

"_Of course," the woman replied._

_She didn't remember getting to her room, but she did remember the tears and the mourning once she was there._

_Two weeks later, Azula was swept home by the Imperial Guard for the funeral ceremony. It was the first time she had been at the palace since her father had sent her off to the Academy. All the high ranking military officers and nobility were in attendance._

_She didn't remember much of the words spoken by the Fire Sages during the ceremony—spending most of the time trying not to cry, as was expected by her father—but she couldn't help but notice her grandfather's expression of sorrow. It was in stark contrast to her father's. He wore an expression that almost appeared to be pleased._

Azula shuddered at the memory. If not for Mai and Ty Lee, she thought life after her uncle's death would have been almost unbearable. They were the only ones who cared about her, and it was mutual. Their families were all broken in some way, but none more so than Azula's.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

A week had passed and there was still no sign of the Avatar. Azula had heard rumors of Aang, Sokka, and Katara staying in an Earth Kingdom fishing village, but they were long gone by the time Azula's crew had arrived. This process was repeated yet again when they received word that the Avatar was in Makapu Village, getting there a day after he had helped the people avert a volcanic disaster.

"Look, Azula. They have a fortuneteller. Maybe she can tell you where the Avatar is going next," Ty Lee suggested as they stood in the village center. Due to the fact that they were Fire Nation, the villagers looked at the pair with obvious apprehension and tried not to do anything to attract their attention unnecessarily.

"You can't be serious, Ty Lee," Azula said, shaking her head. "One, I don't believe in fortune telling. Two, I don't feel like being sent on a wild swan goose chase. This is an Earth Kingdom village—they can't be trusted to tell us the truth of the Avatar's whereabouts. Let's just get back to the ship. We'll keep going north."

The two girls quickly made their way back to the ship—the trip made in relative silence. Azula was deep in thought, and Ty Lee knew better than to interrupt.

"He always manages to stay one step ahead of me," Azula finally said as they stepped back onto her ship, leaving the village behind. Her frustration was evident to the acrobat. "I know what his final destination is, but it's not like I can just wait for him at the North Pole. And cutting him off before then is proving impossible because I can't even catch up with him. You'd think finding a ten-ton flying bison would be easy," Azula finished with a sigh and a roll of her eyes.

"There are plenty of Fire Nation colonies in this part of the Earth Kingdom. I'm sure we'll hear something," Ty Lee said encouragingly.

"Yes, but every time we hear something, by the time we arrive, he's gone. Not to mention, Zhao is still probably looking for him and would have the obvious advantage in paths of information. Although, oddly enough, we haven't seen him in awhile."

"I wonder if he's stopped looking for the Avatar."

"That would only happen if he received an order to stop his search." Her eyes narrowed in thought. "Why would that happen?"

"Maybe your dad wants _you_ to catch the Avatar after all," Ty Lee said hopefully.

Azula let out a soft huff of breath. "No, that's not it. He's not exactly the generous type. You have to earn his respect, and he doesn't do favors to help people out in that regard," she explained. "Something else must be going on. Something bigger."

* * *

"Prince Zuko, everything has been prepared for our departure," War Minister Qin informed the fire prince during the latest war meeting at Pohuai Stronghold.

"Excellent," he replied. "Admiral Zhao, I want you to lead the ships out to sea tomorrow at first light. Since you'll be going around the northwest shore, the fleet should arrive in Water Tribe waters within two weeks."

"By your will, Prince Zuko," Zhao responded.

"With all due respect, your highness, why are you having Admiral Zhao lead the fleet?" Qin asked. "I thought you were planning on leading the invasion yourself."

"Oh, I still intend to," Zuko explained. "I'll be meeting up with the armada in time for the invasion itself, but first I have to pay a visit to a friend. She'll be a valuable addition, especially when it comes to dealing with waterbenders."

* * *

Two days later of almost nonstop travel, Azula finally caught sight of Appa in the northeastern sky. It was nearing dusk and the princess could only hope that they would stop for the night. No sooner had she thought that then she saw the bison begin his descent into the forest surrounding Jang Village—a Fire Nation colony town.

"Finally," Azula said to herself, lowering her spyglass. Turning her attention to the crew, she began to dish out orders. "Bring this ship into port at Jang Village. Ty Lee and I will take the ostrich horses and search for the Avatar on foot."

Finally docked, the two fire teens took off on their mounts. Azula's shoulder was still bothering her. The muscle was still torn, and while she could now firebend with her right arm, she couldn't do so without pain. She hoped it wouldn't prove to be too much of a handicap.

"Ooh, looks like the village is in the middle of the Fire Days Festival!" Ty Lee said excitedly, taking in the view of the lanterns that were stung along the streets. The festivities were in full swing with magicians, jugglers, and benders entertaining, as well as food stands featuring traditional Fire Nation fare.

"We don't have time," Azula replied. Her tone was clipped, and she heard Ty Lee let out a soft sigh of disappointment. "Come on, I saw the bison land in this direction," she continued, leading her ostrich horse towards the forest.

"Hey! That kid's the Avatar!" someone shouted.

Azula immediately pulled up on the reigns, bringing her animal to a halt as her head turned sharply in the direction the voice had come from. Before her, standing on stage, was the young airbending master with a horrified look on his face, as two people beside him pulled off their festival masks. The princess immediately recognized them as the Avatar's two Water Tribe companions. Pressing her heels into the flanks of her animal, Azula charged through the crowd with Ty Lee right behind her.

Aang's expression changed to one of outright panic as he saw the princess and the acrobat coming toward him. Clenching her teeth to bite back the pain, Azula grabbed onto the reigns with her right hand so that her left was free to firebend. Taking a deep breath in first, she then exhaled and released a charged blast of blue flame at the trio.

The Avatar extended his arms in front of him, sending out a column of wind and blocking the blast. He quickly followed that up with two air blasts from his palms. Azula and Ty Lee both leapt from their saddles as their mounts were knocked back into the crowd.

"Aang, we have to get out of here now!" Sokka shouted, noticing that several of the village's guards were now coming toward them.

He then turned to run off the stage only to find Ty Lee coming right for him. Just as her fist was about to make contact with his torso, Katara snaked two waterwhips around the acrobat's wrist and ankle, pulling the girl to the ground with them. The waterbender quickly followed with a water jet, freezing Ty Lee in place.

Azula was busy with Aang, who knew first hand that the princess wasn't close to one hundred percent. It was obvious her injury limited her as she attacked him with fireballs from her left hand and flaming arcs from sweeping leg kicks. He easily evaded and blocked her attacks. Aang finally got the upper hand, sending an air wake at Azula, knocking her to the ground.

"Hey, follow me! I can get you out of here!" a voice called out from behind the stage.

"Let's go, Aang!" Katara shouted, and the airbender quickly turned to follow after his friends and their mysterious new ally.

Azula shook her head as she pushed herself up and ran after the Avatar, who was now also being pursued by a handful of guards. One of them had stopped to help Ty Lee by firebending her out of her ice prison. Azula could only hope that the acrobat would be able to catch up with her soon.

"I'm calling Appa!" she heard the airbender tell his friends as she and the guards gained on them. Inwardly, Azula groaned, knowing full well what kind of airbending power the beast had. The chase continued for several minutes through the village streets, but despite the gang's best efforts, they couldn't shake Azula and the guards. Aang, Sokka, and Katara then followed the mystery man down an alleyway.

"We'll get them, Princess," one of the guards said with a grin. "That way's a dead end."

Just as they turned to enter the alleyway, Appa descended from the sky, cutting Azula and the guards off from the Avatar. The bison's backside was facing them, and the princess knew exactly what was coming. As the gang climbed up onto Appa's head, the bison flapped his tail up and then down, sending forth a powerful blast of wind.

Expecting this action from the bison, Azula sent up a wall of flame to absorb the airbending attack even though the technique involved both arms, causing her to grimace. As the flames died down, Azula looked up to see Appa flying away, but something was flying toward them. And the princess knew whatever it was couldn't be good. Blasting a fireball up in its direction, the bomb that had been tossed from Appa's saddle exploded when her flame met it, causing it to burst into a red sparked firework.

Trying her hardest to keep her temper in check, Azula noticed the direction the bison was flying in. "You won't get away so easily this time, Avatar," she said under her breath, turning around only to find Ty Lee coming up from behind with their ostrich horses.

"Do you need our assistance, Princess?" the guards asked.

"No, we can handle it," she replied coolly, taking the reigns of her animal from Ty Lee before speaking to her directly. "Let's get back to the ship. It will be faster if we take the cutter craft along that smaller river that runs northeast than if we continue on ostrich horse," Azula finished as she hopped up onto the beast, leading it back the way they came.

As the girls got closer to the docks, Azula couldn't help but notice a large warship—second only to one in the Fire Navy—pulled up right alongside hers. This was intentional and it was not lost on the princess.

"What is _he_ doing here?" she hissed.

Ty Lee noticed what had caught her friend's attention. "That's Zuko's ship, isn't it?"

"Yes," she replied, clearly not pleased.

Moving closer, Azula could see Zuko standing on the foredeck of her ship, his golden eyes locked on her. Hopping down off her ostrich horse, she handed the reigns to one of her waiting guards before walking up the gangplank. The acrobat did the same and quietly followed behind the princess. The tension between the siblings was palpable.

"Hello, sister," Zuko greeted Azula as she stepped onboard, his lips curling up into a faint smirk.

"Zuko," she replied coolly.

He simply raised an eyebrow at her before turning his attention to Ty Lee. "Lady Ty Lee," he said pleasantly.

"Prince Zuko," she replied with a bow and a soft smile.

"Why are you here, brother?" Azula asked, very leery of him.

"I see a year at sea has done nothing to improve your manners," he shot back. "But since you're so insistent on getting to the point, fine." He paused for effect. "I'm taking your crew."

"What?" Azula asked. "You can't do that!"

"Yes. I can."

"They're my soldiers, Zuko. They have been since I was a child, under directive of Fire Lord Azulon," Azula argued.

"Fire Lord Azulon is dead," Zuko said, his eyes darkening. "Fire Lord Ozai's word is law. And he says your soldiers are needed elsewhere—doing much more important things than hunting the Avatar."

Azula gritted her teeth. "Like what?" she asked with barely controlled anger.

"I'm leading an invasion of the Northern Water Tribe and I need every able bodied Fire Nation sailor in the northern territories available."

"I doubt ten more could possibly make a difference."

"Come now, Azula. Be reasonable. These aren't just any soldiers we're talking about. We're talking about imperial firebenders."

Azula glared at him.

"Don't look so glum, little sister. You can still keep your ship." He chuckled darkly. "There's one more thing," Zuko continued, bringing his eyes to Ty Lee. His expression softened somewhat. "I could use your talents as well, Lady Ty Lee."

The acrobat was taken aback and Azula thought she would explode with anger. He had taken Mai away from her. And now he was about to take Ty Lee too.

Knowing that this was not a request, Ty Lee replied, "It would be my honor to serve the Fire Nation." Her words sounded almost hollow, and Azula knew that the acrobat really had no choice in the matter.

After all, Zuko was the crowned prince and she—well, she was just the banished princess.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Azula had already seen her crew off, and they were currently making their way over to Zuko's ship with their belongings in tow. Now the princess stood alone on the deck with her best friend. Neither of them were looking forward to saying goodbye.

"You know I'd rather stay with you, right?" Ty Lee said tearfully.

"I know," Azula replied, her voice tight. "I know you don't have a choice. Zuko is the crowned prince. He has more authority than the banished princess." She paused, trying to keep her composure. "At least you'll be fighting for the Fire Nation." Like most Fire Nation citizens of their generation, both girls held a deep sense of national pride and love of their country.

"I promise I'll come back as soon as this battle is over."

"You won't have to. I'll capture the Avatar, and I'll meet up with you again in the Fire Nation," she said with a half smile.

Ty Lee nodded. "I'll miss you, Azula," she said, wrapping her arms around the princess in a tight hug, and it took all of Azula's self control not to break down crying right then.

"I'll miss you too," she admitted quietly. They pulled apart and in a rare display of affection, Azula brushed her thumb across Ty Lee's cheek, wiping away a tear that had fallen. "Be safe," Azula finished, her voice firm as her amber eyes locked on the acrobat's gray ones.

"You too," Ty Lee replied with a sniffle before pulling Azula into another bear hug. The prodigy let out a shaky breath, the emotion of their parting starting to get to her.

"You'd better get going," Azula finally said.

"I know," the acrobat replied, releasing her hold on her friend and looking up at her with tear filled eyes. "Goodbye, Azula."

"Goodbye, Ty Lee." Azula could only watch as the acrobat turned away and walked down the gangplank.

And for the first time in her life, she was truly alone.

* * *

There was only one thing to do, Azula realized, and that was keep hunting down the Avatar. She knew it would be more challenging since she now had to do it on her own. There was no way she could commandeer her warship without a crew. She would have to continue her search on land.

She also knew she was running out of time. The Avatar was going to the North Pole, and once he left the Earth Kingdom, she couldn't foresee anyway for her to get to him. And he would most likely be captured at the North Pole by the Fire Nation navy, since he would undoubtedly be there during the invasion.

Knowing that time was of the essence, Azula returned to her cabin and threw her meager belongings into her small black chest. She also decided to include her uncle's Jian sword—the origins of which still remained a mystery to her. She didn't want to leave anything of value on the ship in case thieves decided to sneak onboard. The ship itself would be relatively safe left in the Jang Village harbor. The chest and its contents she would keep in the village's storage facility. For her journey, she grabbed a change of clothes, a waterskin, money, some medical supplies, and food rations and stuffed them into her pack.

After depositing her valuables at the storage facility, Azula slung her pack over her good shoulder and set out on ostrich horse in search of the Avatar. Focusing on capturing him was the only thing that kept her from succumbing to the swirling emotions under the surface that threatened to bubble over. She tried not to think of Zuko—how he was always favored by their father, how he snatched away her two closest allies and even her soldiers. It felt like her mission was all she had left.

Azula traveled northeast along the river's edge until exhaustion took over. After tying up her ostrich horse, she laid her cloak on the forest floor and quickly passed out.

* * *

Prince Zuko had informed Admiral Zhao of his plans to recruit Azula's crew in addition to Ty Lee before rejoining the naval fleet. Anticipating some possible questions from the prince about what had happened with Azula and her soldiers before his arrival at Pouhai Stronghold, the man had come up with a fabricated version of events that he was certain would satisfy him. The prince was scheduled to meet up with them in nine days time, and with the good weather, the armada was making excellent time. The admiral figured they would arrive in Water Tribe waters several days before Zuko.

That gave Zhao, who was still smarting over his Agni Kai loss, plenty of time to exact a little revenge before the invasion. He decided a personal detour was in order. Taking his two most trusted men out with him on a cutter craft, the admiral made port at a rather nondescript Earth Kingdom merchant village, leaving the naval fleet behind.

"Are you sure this is where she is?" Zhao asked one of his men as they walked toward a squat, three story building at the village's outskirts.

"Positive, sir," he replied, pointing to a large mole-like beast resting at the side of the building.

As Zhao opened the door to the seedy establishment, a body went flying, crashing into the wall above the door before dropping to the floor and crying out painfully upon impact. Sneering, the naval officer stepped over the man as he entered the tavern. The place was packed to the gills with patrons, whose attention was focused on a table at the center of the room.

Zhao followed their gaze and saw the woman he was seeking out at said table arm-wrestling with a beefy looking man. Her opponent was sweating in his attempt to best the dark-haired beauty, who appeared as if she were hardly trying. Smirking at the sight, Zhao began to force his way through the crowd in her direction.

Just as he arrived at her table, the woman ended the arm-wrestling contest with one swift movement. The crowd erupted in a roar at her victory, and a large sum of money changed hands, much of it ending up in a big pile in front of the victor.

With a satisfied grin, she turned to the crowd. "Drinks on me!" she called out, much to the delight of everyone present except for her opponent, who quietly slinked out of his seat to sulk in a corner.

A large sack of gold coins landed with a sudden thud on the table, dwarfing the pile of money already there, causing its occupant to look over with mild interest.

"I need you to find someone," Zhao said as he took a seat across from the woman; his two men standing behind him.

"You'll need a lot more than that to afford me," she replied as a drink was set in front of her.

"Consider this a down payment," he said with a cold smile. "You'll receive double this when you deliver my bounty to me."

"You're on," she agreed before tossing back her drink, the rice wine causing a delicious burn to run down her throat.

Zhao then pulled out a map and a sketch, placing them on the table. "I want you to find her," he said, indicating the sketch. "I'll be at this port on the north shore in a week's time. There's a warehouse there where I'll meet you—the address is written on the map. I want her alive. And no one is to know who hired you."

"Throw in another sack of that gold, and I'll forget you even exist," she replied.

"Fine," Zhao said with a wave of his hand.

"Good," the woman smirked. "I need a smell sample so I can track her."

With a nod, one of Zhao's men stepped forward and handed her a piece of the ceremonial Agni Kai wrap. Taking it, she smiled down at him, grabbing the bag of gold, enjoying its weight.

"See you in a week," she said assuredly. Before Zhao could reply, she was out the door and after her bounty.

* * *

At the crack of dawn, Azula was up and moving. The small river she was traveling along branched out into various streams, but the princess decided to just continue to follow the river itself—praying that she was still heading in the right direction—and stopped only to eat and rest her animal.

It was late afternoon when Azula's sharp ears picked up on the sound of voices coming further up the river. Pulling her ostrich horse to a halt, she hopped down and hid herself in the cover of the forest, silently moved closer to the sounds.

"You have healing abilities. The great benders of the water tribe sometimes have this ability. I've always wished I were blessed like you—free from this burning curse," Azula heard a man say, as she got closer.

"But you're a great master. You have powers I'll never know." She recognized that one as Katara's voice.

"Water brings healing and life. But fire brings only destruction and pain. It forces those of us burdened with its care to walk a razor's edge between humanity and savagery. Eventually, we are torn apart."

Azula wondered why this man, who based on what she had just heard was a firebending master, would speak in such a way to a waterbender—to the enemy. And for that matter, what kind of master would speak about firebending in such a way? He had it all wrong, she thought with annoyance.

Peering around the trees, she saw that it was only the two of them. The Avatar had to be nearby, she realized. Slinking back into the forest, Azula's eyes fell on the tracks Katara and the firebender had made to get to the river. Maybe it would lead to the airbender.

Azula continued to follow the trail, trying to maintain a level of stealth. After several minutes, she spotted a clearing. Slowly approaching, she looked through the branches of a nearby bush to see the airbender sitting on the ground, slumped over and looking dejected.

Just as Azula was about to make her move to attack, a giant wall of flame rose up in front of her and promptly surrounded her. There was yelling then. She could make out the firebending master shouting to the Avatar to leave immediately. Not wanting to lose him again, Azula brought both palms together. Running toward the sound of the shouting, she sent her arms out and parted the wall.

The wall moved around her again, making Azula unable to tell where the Avatar was. She looked up and saw the flames close in on themselves, forming a roof. While Azula knew the Avatar always went north, his most immediate destination would be unknown to her.

Frustrated, the prodigy sent out two waves of blue flame with her feet, slicing through the wall. Just as she ran through it, a powerful blast of flame was sent in her direction, but it was obvious that it was merely a warning shot and not intended to actually hit her. Whoever had fired that shot possessed incredible power, yet showed a level of restraint.

"Turn back now," the master bender commanded.

"Stay out of my way!" Azula shouted back, never releasing her stance as she looked around for the man who was blocking her path, but he remained elusive. Once again, walls of flame surrounded her.

"The Avatar is no match for you." As the words were spoken, the flaming walls blazed, their heat intensifying.

"Why would a firebender defend the Avatar?" she asked in angry disbelief as he appeared through the flames.

"He is the only one who can restore balance to the world," the man replied, and Azula instantly recognized him from the wanted posters.

"I know who you are. You're infamous in the Fire Nation. Jeong Jeong the Deserter," she said with disgust.

His eyes narrowed at her, ignoring her intended insult. He had no shame in his decision to desert the Fire Nation navy. "And I know who you are, Princess Azula. I remember you from when you were just a child." His voice was stern and his flames had yet to relent.

She looked at him warily, searching through her memory banks but came up empty. She decided it didn't matter. He was only in the way. As she was about to blast a fireball at the man, he spoke again.

"I was good friends with your uncle, General Iroh," he said as his eyes watched her carefully.

It was enough to give her pause. Azula felt torn. She wanted to know more about her uncle—she missed having him in her life—and maybe being around someone who knew him could ease that feeling. But she also wanted her honor back, and capturing the Avatar was her only chance to restore it. Azula considered her options.

Honor won out.

Besides, he's a traitor, she told herself.

Based on what she had seen of Jeong Jeong's powers, she knew she probably couldn't best him in a one-on-one fight. But maybe she could talk her way out of this and get back on the airbender's trail.

"My uncle would never be friends with a traitor," she spat.

The man would not dignify the girl's insult with a verbal response. Instead, Jeong Jeong shook his head at her and looked at her as if she had just declared the sky was green. Azula noticed his flames never wavered—didn't get any larger, although she was certain he could do so, and never smaller.

The master's silence was beginning to irritate her. Her eyes narrowed at him. "Why did you abandon our country?" she asked, her tone indicating exactly what she thought of traitors to their nation.

"The Fire Nation has abused its power and brought nothing but pain and destruction upon the world," he stated.

"Yes, I heard you tell that Water Tribe peasant that fire brings only destruction and pain," she said with annoyance. "But you're wrong. My fire nourishes and soothes me."

"But fire has burned and scarred you," he pointed out, looking pointedly at her facial scar.

"And it will burn and scar you if you don't get out of my way!" Azula shouted, finally losing control of her temper and dropping lower into her stance, ready to strike. The mention of her scar was often a sore point.

Suddenly, the wall of flame surrounding them dissipated, as Jeong Jeong locked eyes on the princess. She felt a sliver of uncertainty and at that moment, Azula swore his eyes were looking right into her spirit.

"Learn restraint, or risk destroying yourself and everything you love," he said. A large flame burst forth in front of him—the power of the blast enough to knock Azula off her feet.

When she looked up, the man was gone. Gritting her teeth, Azula slammed her fist into the forest floor in frustration. Everything he had said rang true, but in a way that unsettled her. He couldn't be right, she thought. He was a traitor, after all.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Azula pulled her cloak tighter around herself as she bit off a piece of jerky, chewing it absently. She would have much preferred to stay at a village inn, but there were none within a reasonable distance and it was too dark to keep traveling. On a still winter night like this, the only sound came from the crackling wood of her campfire. She stared into the flames, lost in thought.

It had been several days since her run in with Jeong Jeong, and the Avatar was nowhere in sight. The princess refused to give up her search even though she had a nagging feeling that the boy was no longer even in the Earth Kingdom. No one in the colony villages had seen him, nor had anyone heard rumors of recent sightings.

Azula was tired and irritated. It was cold, her shoulder still bothered her, and she was sick of eating jerky and dried fruit for nearly every meal. She missed the companionship of her crew, especially Ty Lee and the girl's near constant positive outlook. She was furious with Zuko for taking them away from her. On top of all that, her mind kept going back to her encounter with Jeong Jeong and what he had said.

"_Fire brings only destruction and pain. It forces those of us burdened with its care to walk a razor's edge between humanity and savagery. Eventually, we are torn apart."_

"_Was that true?"_ she wondered. She recalled the burnt down forest outside of Senlin Village. She remembered her own pain throughout her life at the hands of her father's fire.

She then recalled her Agni Kai with Zhao. She had tried to show him mercy, and he repaid her by trying to attack her from behind. Her fiery temper had flared up to a point beyond her control, and she had burned him in her rage.

"_Learn restraint, or risk destroying yourself and everything you love."_

"_Should I have shown restraint with Zhao? No, I tried to and then he attacked me. But then I didn't show restraint and he attacked me again—successfully,"_ she thought with a scowl. There didn't seem to be a right or wrong course of action. No matter which choice she made, it appeared to bring about the same result.

The sound of crunching leaves and snapping twigs from deeper in the forest pulled Azula from her thoughts. The noise was getting louder, which meant whatever was making it was getting closer. It was obvious to Azula that something very large and quick was moving through the trees and brush.

Her ostrich horse began to claw at the ground nervously, sensing the oncoming danger. The firebender leapt to her feet and dropped into her stance, readying herself to attack whatever it was out there.

Suddenly, a large mole-like beast came bursting through the bushes surrounded her campsite. Azula's eyes widened slightly as she noticed its dark haired rider fixed her gaze on her. The princess knew the look all to well. It was how she looked at the Avatar. This woman was hunting her.

Azula hardened her amber eyes and let blue flames form in the palms of her hands. It was meant to be a threatening gesture. The hunter merely smirked at her and pulled the whip off her belt. With a quick snap of her wrist, the leather uncoiled and sailed toward the princess. Reacting, Azua shot out a stream of fire with her left hand at the whip, the heat of her blue flames nearly incinerating it upon impact. At the same time however, the woman's shirshu lashed out its tongue at Azula. Not expecting that at all, the girl uneasily jumped back to try and avoid it, but before she could get out its path and fire off an attack, she felt a wet slap across the right side of her face.

To Azula's horror, her flames died on her fingertips as her body fell to the forest floor with a dull thud. She was acutely aware of everything around her but she found that her body was completely paralyzed.

The hunter grabbed a pack and jumped off her shirshu, scratching its snout affectionately. "Good job, Nyla," she complimented her companion before turning her gaze onto her prey. The woman chuckled as she walked over to the fallen princess. Azula tried to glare up at her, but wasn't sure if it was successful. Her anger was the only thing keeping her panic at being in such a helpless situation from giving way.

The bounty hunter pushed Azula's body over so that she was lying face down in the dirt. The firebender couldn't see what was happening behind her, but she heard the rattling of metal. Her wrists were then brought behind her and shackled together with metal cuffs. Similar action was taken with her ankles.

"Much better," the woman mused before tossing a net around Azula and tightening it so that the firebender's body curled in on itself. Another surge of anger coursed through her at being handled in such a way—as if she were nothing more than an animal.

The shirshu, knowing her mistress's wishes from years of hunting together, moved closer to the pair. Then, with deceptive strength, the woman lifted Azula off the ground and tied the net's ropes to the side of the shirshu's saddle. The firebender's mind pleaded with her body to move—but her limbs would not obey. The hunter observed her bounty for a moment, crossing her arms in front of her.

"You've got two more days with me. Then you'll be someone else's problem, and I'll have my gold. Until then, a couple ground rules. Don't do anything stupid and I'll keep you fed and warm. You act up, you starve and freeze. Got it?"

Azula's golden eyes burned with the intensity of a thousand suns, but no words would come out. The woman merely smirked down at her. "You can answer me when your paralysis wears off, _Princess_, which should be in a couple hours."

With those words, the bounty hunter jumped onto her mount and led the beast out onto the main trail, determined to get a few more hours of travel time in before resting for the night.

"_So someone paid this woman to capture me? Who?" _Azula's mind searched frantically for an answer. _"Who in the Earth Kingdom wants me?"_ A sick feeling suddenly came over her. _"What if it's not someone from the Earth Kingdom at all? What if it's someone from the Fire Nation?"_

Azula knew it could be no one else besides Zhao. No one else would have the motive or the means. She knew that she had to do whatever it took to get out of this before she was delivered to him.

* * *

Prince Zuko had summoned Jee to his quarters for a brief meeting. When the man arrived, he found the prince sitting at a small table, enjoying his evening tea. Bringing his fist to his palm, the lieutenant bowed to his superior.

"Have a seat," Zuko said, indicating the empty chair across from him.

"Thank you, Princes Zuko," he replied. A servant immediately poured the man a cup of tea.

"Lieutenant Jee, I'd like to speak with you about the status of your troops," Zuko began. "I noticed that you are short two. What happened to them?"

Jee's face hardened at the mention of his fallen comrades. "Ruon and Xu were slain about a week ago by two of Commander Zhao's men."

Zuko's eyes widened a bit in surprise. Now he very much wanted to know how this had come about. Had his sister had a run in with Zhao? This was serious if Fire Nation soldiers were killing their countrymen. There must have been due cause, he reasoned.

"Commander Zhao is now an admiral," the prince corrected him. "But that's besides the point. Why were they killed?"

"Lady Ty Lee can probably speak better to this, as she was actually there."

Zuko nodded and turned his attention to one of his servants. "Fetch Lady Ty Lee and have her come to my quarters immediately."

Short moments later, Ty Lee entered Zuko's quarters, her gray eyes brightening a bit when she saw that Jee was there as well.

"Welcome, Ty Lee. Please, have a seat," Zuko said, gesturing to the seat to his right side. "I understand that two members of my sister's guard were recently killed and that you were there. Tell me what happened."

The soft smile that the acrobat wore instantly faded as her eyes hardened a bit. "Azula and Zhao had an Agni Kai," she began. This was news to Zuko, although he had suspected Zhao's burns came from something other than an "accident." He stayed silent and let the girl continue. "Ruon, Xu, and I accompanied Azula. Zhao had six of his own men there."

"What was the Agni Kai over?" Zuko asked.

"Azula felt Zhao had dishonored her. He had captured the Avatar, but was only able to do so by following us. So the terms of the duel were that if she won the Agni Kai, she would get the Avatar."

"And if Zhao won?" he asked, keeping his thoughts closely guarded for now.

"Azula didn't say. She was certain she would win."

"_Growing more confident, are we, dear sister?"_ Zuko thought to himself. "I see. Go on."

"Ruon, Xu, and two of Zhao's men stood guard over the Avatar as the Agni Kai took place. Azula won and showed him mercy, but Zhao tried to attack her from behind as she walked away. She, um, burned him for rejecting her mercy and disregarding the rules of the Agni Kai." Ty Lee took a deep breath, recalling the look on Azula's face right after it happened. "He left, but before we could take the Avatar as our prisoner, Ruon and Xu were killed by Zhao's men. Then she and I were ambushed."

The acrobat continued on, telling the rest of the story from her point of view. While Zuko kept an impassive mask, Ty Lee could see what he was feeling in his aura. He was more than a little angry and irritated. She wished it had stemmed from a big brother protectiveness, but she knew it was more likely because Zhao had probably lied to him. Even though Ty Lee didn't want to put Azula in a bad light by explaining how the Avatar eventually escaped, she knew it was best to tell the truth where Zuko was concerned.

This, of course, was all news to the prince, who found himself angered at Zhao not only for lying to him, but also for allowing the Avatar to escape. His sister's failure to hold onto the boy didn't surprise him so much. "_She was always a failure,__"_ he thought.

While it didn't really matter if the Avatar was captured or not—due to him not being fully realized—what mattered was that at the time that Zhao had acted, he was under orders by the Fire Lord to capture the Avatar. His lack of discipline undermined his ability to carry that order out. While Zuko was no stranger to fighting dirty, even he wouldn't go so far as to disregard the tradition of the Agni Kai as Zhao had.

He would certainly need to have a talk with the admiral when they rejoined.

* * *

A tingling sensation began to sweep through Azula's body as the paralysis from the shirshu's saliva wore off. Slowly, her awareness of her body came back to her. Her muscles ached a bit for holding the same position for so long, but worst of all was the pain that shot through her injured shoulder. Having her arms shackled behind her back put considerable strain on the torn muscle, and Azula couldn't hold back a pained groan.

"Back with us, I see," the hunter said, glancing down at her captive. "We'll be stopping soon for the night. But don't think about escaping. Nyla will watch you for me."

"I'll burn you and your filthy animal to a crisp," Azula threatened as fresh anger washed over her.

"Better watch that temper, Princess," she chuckled. "Remember my ground rules, and life will be easier for you. Believe me. I have ways of making you very uncomfortable."

Azula grit her teeth as she bit down on the insult that threatened to spill from her lips. "Fine," she finally said, clearly not happy. _"I _will_ find a way out of this,"_ she told herself. _"I have to."_


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

It was nearing midnight when the bounty hunter pulled her shirshu to a halt in a clearing that looked much like the space Azula had made camp in hours earlier.

"Who sent you?" Azula asked as the woman began to remove her gear from her animal. She was almost positive that it was Zhao, but she wanted to see if that fact could be confirmed.

"Sorry, can't tell you. It's bad for business," the woman replied.

"I'll pay you double whatever he's paying you if you let me go."

The bounty hunter laughed. "Like I haven't heard that one before. Sorry, Princess. No dice," she said, pulling the last of her supplies from Nyla's saddle.

Azula observed the woman as she set up the simple campsite, looking for any kind of weaknesses in how she moved—any kind of past injury that may have had bearing on her current condition. To her dismay, there was nothing obvious.

The hunter saved Azula for last, unhooking the net she was being carried in from the shirshu's saddle and depositing the girl unceremoniously on the forest floor. Azula grunted as she hit the ground, glaring up at the hunter. "Watch it!"

The woman looked down at her, amused for a moment. She then patted her animal on the rump. "Go get your dinner, Nyla. Don't be too long." The shirshu happily ran off to a nearby stream to seek out her meal.

"If you won't tell me who sent you, will you at least tell me who _you_ are?" Azula was desperate for some kind of information.

The woman raised an eyebrow at her, contemplating on whether or not to answer. She didn't see the harm. "Name's Jun. Greatest bounty hunter in the world."

"No lack of modesty, I see," the firebender said with a roll of her eyes. "I didn't realize there was a bounty on my head."

Jun shrugged. "I don't ask questions. I just do what I'm paid to do." She paused, looking intently at Azula as she knelt down beside the girl. "Remember my ground rules. Otherwise, this net stays on and you don't eat for the next two days."

"_This is humiliating,"_ Azula thought as she grit her teeth. She nodded curtly at the hunter, indicating her understanding.

"Good girl," Jun replied before removing the net.

Azula attempted to stretch out her aching muscles as much as her binds would allow, ignoring the dull pain in her shoulder. Jun allowed it for a moment before grabbing onto her shackled wrists and drawing her up to her knees. She then pushed Azula back against the trunk of a nearby tree, and chained her arms to it. It took every ounce of energy not to fight back. She knew she wasn't exactly in a position of strength. Instead, the princess merely shot the woman yet another death glare, which only served to amuse the bounty hunter.

Jun then procured a waterskin from her pack and brought the opening to Azula's mouth. "Drink up," she said. Grimacing, the girl opened it enough to allow the cool liquid in, but she felt her anger rising up. Even in her banishment, she had always tried to maintain a level of dignity. To be shackled and handled this way was totally beneath her.

In the midst of this, Nyla returned from her hunt. Content, the shirshu curled up beside Azula to keep an eye on her mistress's bounty. Jun stood up and scratched the belly of her mount affectionately.

"_Even that beast has more freedom than I do,"_ Azula thought angrily.

"I'm going to sleep now, Princess. And don't think about escaping. Nyla will be watching you," Jun said as she turned in for the night.

Azula glared at the sleeping woman. _"They'll all pay for this. Zhao, Jun, even that filthy animal,"_ she seethed, trying to ignore the smell of the shirshu's breath—it reeked of fish from her latest meal.

The princess exhaled sharply in disgust, unconsciously releasing a stream of smoke from her nostrils. Her anger then dissipated somewhat. _"I can still bend,"_ she realized. _"I can get out of this. I _will_ get out of this. I just have to wait for the right moment to strike."_

Azula tried to fall asleep despite the uncomfortable position she was in. Of course Jun didn't want her to be too strong, but Azula knew she needed to be well rested if she was going to get out of this mess.

* * *

Azula's eyes cracked open as the sun began to peak over the horizon. Even though she couldn't see it, her chi resonated with its solar energy—gently easing away some of the stiffness she felt from holding such an awkward position.

Jun was already awake and rummaging through her pack. Azula noticed a small pot on the fire heating up some tea. She watched as the woman began to prepare herself some breakfast—a hot porridge to warm herself from the frigid cold of the winter air. As the bounty hunter sipped her tea, she stirred at the pot, always keeping an eye on her captive. Remembering Jun's ground rules, the princess opted for silence in the hopes that she would be fed. She needed her strength.

After the bounty hunter had fed herself, she commanded Nyla to go off to forage for her breakfast. While the shirshu was hunting, Jun offered Azula a meager portion of porridge topped off with a small cup of tea.

"I'm still hungry," Azula said testily, as Jun finished feeding her.

"I'd give you more, but my client doesn't want you too strong," Jun replied with an indifferent shrug before turning away to pack up her belongings.

"That coward," the firebender muttered, causing the bounty hunter to smirk.

The woman liked to know as little as possible about the details surrounding her bounties—all she cared about was getting paid—but she did find herself mildly curious about the circumstances surrounding this particular client and his bounty. After all, it wasn't every day that she was hired to capture banished princesses for Fire Nation Admirals. But she decided the less she knew in that regard, the better. It made things less personal.

* * *

As the day went on, Azula tried to focus on her plan and not on the unpleasantness of her current situation. Doing so would only result in her getting even more irritated than she already was. Not only was her body in an uncomfortable position, with every step the shirshu took, the net she was held in would swing—bumping her against the animal's not so fragrant hide.

Patience had never been one of Azula's virtues—it was something that many firebenders struggled with. But patience was something she needed more than ever, she realized. She didn't want to think about what Zhao had planned for her. So she waited. And in the meantime, she would act like a model citizen.

That evening, Jun made camp in yet another clearing—this one near the outskirts of a Fire Nation port. Azula knew they were close to the point of delivery, but based on what she learned upon her initial capture, the princess figured tomorrow would be when Zhao was planning on meeting Jun.

The night's events went on much the way they had previously—Nyla went off to hunt for her dinner, Azula was chained to a tree trunk, Jun ate her dinner, then fed the princess a small portion before turning in for sleep. The girl stayed awake for awhile longer, playing through various scenarios—all of which contained various levels of risk—in her mind before settling on one that had the best chance of success.

* * *

"Just a few more hours and you'll be out of that net," Jun commented in response to Azula's look of distaste as she was strapped back onto Nyla.

"_We'll see about that,"_ Azula thought with a smirk, watching as the bounty hunter climbed onto her mount. Moments later, they were moving back toward the main trail.

Azula then inhaled deeply, gathering her energy at her core. Exhaling, she released her breath in a stream of blue fire at the shirshu—just above Jun's thigh. The animal yelped and writhed in pain, and her tongue lashed out near her burn, striking Jun. Stunned and paralyzed, the bounty hunter was bucked from the saddle and landed on the forest floor.

Nyla was still in pain and moving around, trying to soothe herself somehow, jarring Azula a bit. Not having much time to spare, Azula inhaled again and sent another breath of fire at the end of the net that held her to Nyla's saddle. Bracing herself, the princess fell to the ground, landing on her side and rolling away from the animal.

The shirshu whipped her tongue at Azula, but she was ready for this. Once again, she breathed fire, burning the animal's tongue as it was about to strike her face. Nyla hissed in pain as she jerked back. Hugging her knees into her chest and bringing all her energy inward, Azula then kicked her legs out, sending a powerful wave of flame from her feet at Nyla, burning her nose. With a pained growl, the animal ran away—barreling through the woods to find relief.

Azula turned her head to find Jun lying paralyzed several feet away from her. The bounty hunter was furious. Azula knew she had to act quickly—well, as quickly as her shackles would allow—not knowing if the paralysis would last as long on Jun as it had on her. Perhaps she had developed somewhat of an immunity to it, Azula reasoned.

After crawling along the forest floor, the firebender reached the bounty hunter's side. In the short time they had been traveling, Azula had observed where Jun kept things to best of her ability, and she knew for a fact that the woman kept the keys to her bindings on her person.

Using her core strength, Azula managed to lift herself up onto her knees as she looked down at Jun. Turning around—and taking an admitted risk by turning her back on an enemy—the princess felt for the keys in the bounty hunter's pocket. It didn't take long for her to find it. Prize in hand, she shifted around so she could keep her eyes on Jun.

The trick now was actually getting the key into the lock. Azula had done some investigating with her fingertips during her captivity and found where the keyhole was. As she twisted her wrists in the shackles to fit the key in, she felt her arm muscles begin to cramp. Letting out a pained breath, she pushed through it and finally got the key into position.

"_Just a little further,"_ she told herself, as her fingers twisted the key, releasing the shackles' hold on her.

Letting out a sigh of relief, she brought her arms forward and attempted to stretch the muscles in her arms to ease the cramping. She then made quick work on her ankles. She gingerly pushed herself up to stand, her muscles groaning in protest a bit. All the while, she kept her eyes locked on the bounty hunter.

Almost all of Jun's supplies were fastened to Nyla's saddle, but Azula figured she must have something of value on her. The princess then leaned down and dug through the woman's pockets, finding some money as well as a map. Azula noted the marking on it—the very port they were headed to along with a specific address.

Azula weighed her options for a moment before making her decision. _"But first things first,"_ she thought, eyeing the shackles that had recently held her captive. The firebender then grabbed a hold of them and rolled the bounty hunter onto her stomach.

"Think of this as returning the favor," Azula explained as she fastened the shackles to her wrists. "After all, I can't have you following me," she continued as she moved onto shackling the woman's ankles. The princess then tucked the key into her pocket as she stood once more.

Azula allowed herself a few moments to ease back into her body, using her breath to move her inner fire to her aching muscles as she continued to stretch them out.

Knowing that this was as good as her body was going to feel right now, Azula then took off toward the Fire Nation port, leaving Jun behind. As she walked, the tight control she had kept on her anger was all but dissipating. Her eyes narrowed as she thought of Zhao. There was a debt to be settled.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Admiral Zhao stood on the foredeck of his warship as the armada neared the northern Fire Nation port. His golden eyes narrowed as he caught sight of Prince Zuko's warship docked along with several other vessels that had been under command of War Minister Qin. Something was wrong. He wasn't supposed to meet with the other ships for another four days at a location closer to the Northern Air Temple.

This certainly complicated things on a personal level for Zhao. Jun was scheduled to arrive with his bounty in a few hours, and he was planning on being thorough in his revenge. Now he would need to show even more discretion. Fortunately, the warehouse where he had instructed Jun to meet him was on the outskirts of the port and was, at this time, abandoned.

After his ship docked, the admiral decided some information was in order. He quickly learned from one of the commanders that War Minister Qin was currently overseeing the stocking up on ammunition for the warships' trebuchets as well as additional weapons and armor for the troops.

"War Minister Qin," he greeted the man as he entered the munitions holding.

"Admiral Zhao," the war minister replied. "Prince Zuko wanted me to inform you of the change in plans."

* * *

Azula's legs felt heavy. She had been walking for hours toward the port, and she was tired, hungry, and very much in need of a bath and a change of clothes. Deciding to take a short rest, she sat down near the edge of the path and pulled out the map she had taken from Jun, examining it. To her chagrin, there were no towns in between here and the port. With a sigh, she stuffed the paper back into her pocket and rubbed at her legs.

The firebender was used to some unpleasantness in her year of banishment, and even before that. To say that it was starting to get to her would be an understatement. Her mind floated back to her room at palace—the large canopied bed, the warmth from the fireplace, the mahogany furniture filled with one of the finest wardrobes in the Fire Nation. She thought of the spa—hot baths, manicures, and servants attending to her every need. Right now, she found herself missing that.

"_If only I hadn't messed things up so horribly,"_ Azula mused, shaking her head slightly. _"I have to make things right. I need my honor back. Maybe my father might even accept me again."_ She remembered the first time he had shown interest in her—his amber eyes had brightened with intrigue—when she demonstrated her ability to bend lightning. Sometimes, Azula felt like she would give anything just to see that look again.

Sighing, the prodigy pushed herself back up to feet and continued to walk to the port. About an hour later, she could make out buildings in the distance. Determined, Azula picked up her pace. The princess soon spotted the abandoned warehouse where Jun was supposed to meet Zhao. She shuddered at the thought of what might have happened to her there had she not managed to escape. Even though she knew that the admiral would be there within the next few hours, Azula opted for avoiding the place until she could regain some of her strength. The events of the past few days had taken their toll on her.

Azula moved stealthily through the port, doing her best to avoid any soldiers, who were engaged in various duties ranging from carrying supplies to training. She finally arrived at her destination—a munitions holding where she could get a new uniform. It would make getting food and water much easier later on. Glancing along the side of the building, Azula noticed an open door where soldiers had been carrying supplies out. It was currently unoccupied at the moment, so she took advantage and slipped inside.

Azula then heard the unmistakable voice of Zhao on the other side of the crates—he was speaking with War Minister Qin. Her body tensed as the anger began to rise up in her. As much as she wanted to roast his hide, she knew she couldn't very well go after him head on at the moment. Due to recent circumstances, she wasn't exactly in peak physical condition, nor was she in the mood to make a scene—she'd be liable to get killed that way. Instead, she moved closer to where the two men were talking, hoping to glean some useful information.

"There was an incident at the Northern Air Temple."

"The mechanist broke his agreement?" Zhao asked.

Qin nodded. "Yes. The Avatar was instrumental for their victory. However, it was in vain."

"Oh? Did something happen to the Avatar?" the admiral asked.

"Unfortunately, no, we weren't that lucky. The Avatar was last seen going to the Northern Water Tribe—no doubt looking for a waterbending master. However, we did recover a valuable piece of machinery built by the mechanist—a war balloon."

Azula's ears perked up as she heard mention of the Avatar, but she was immediately discouraged upon learning that the boy was at the North Pole. How would she get there now? And even if she did manage to get there, how would she do so before Zuko?

The two men's voices began to get softer, and Azula realized they were leaving the supply building. She caught something about an important meeting with her brother. An idea struck her then. First she would get the Avatar. Then she would deal with Zhao.

* * *

"Prince Zuko," Zhao said with a bow as the boy made his way out onto the deck. "I'm glad to see you had a safe journey."

"Admiral," he replied coolly.

"_He knows,"_ the admiral thought, but he was prepared for the possibility.

"Can you remind me how you got that burn on your face? I seem to recall something about an accident in the engine room."

Zhao clenched his jaw in annoyance. Zuko was going to make him come out and say it. "It was the result of an Agni Kai."

Zuko frowned. "That's what I thought. You do realize what a serious offense lying to the crown prince is, don't you?"

"I can explain, your highness," Zhao began smoothly. "At the time of the incident, I had information that Princess Azula was committing treason against the Fire Nation…"

"Save it, Admiral," Zuko cut him off. "Don't get yourself into anymore trouble than you already are. I know you lied to me, and if it weren't for what you have to offer, I would have killed you on the spot."

The admiral swallowed angrily, but bit down on his tongue.

"You see, you're the only one who knows what I need, and frankly, I don't trust you," Zuko continued. "A successful invasion of the North Pole is ensured by what you have to offer the Fire Nation. If you carry that out, I'll be willing to overlook this matter entirely."

Zhao was shocked but remembered to have the good sense to show his gratitude. "Thank you, Prince Zuko."

"Understand that you are walking on thin ice right now. You will be closely watched, and if you fail in your loyalty to me any further, I will strip you of every rank you have and have you thrown overboard. Are we clear, Admiral?"

"Yes, Prince Zuko, perfectly clear."

* * *

Zuko had called a final war meeting into session before the armada would depart for the Northern Water Tribe. All the captains, commanders, Admiral Zhao, War Minister Qin, and, for reasons somewhat confusing to her, Ty Lee. Her exact role was still a bit unclear to her—all she knew was that she was expected to use her chi blocking to disable as many waterbenders that she could get her hands on—but she was certain that she wasn't going to be in charge of leading any troops in battle. However, Zuko had assured her that things would be made clearer to her at the meeting.

Ty Lee entered the war tent along with Captain Lee, who was a close friend of her father and had offered to escort her. She caught sight of Zhao sitting near Zuko's right, and her eyes hardened slightly before looking away. It had been the first time she had seen the man since the incident after the Agni Kai. She was admittedly surprised to see him there after what she and Jee had told Zuko.

The captain led the acrobat to a seat near the far end of the table. Those of a higher military rank sat closest to the prince. Shortly after taking her seat, Prince Zuko began the meeting.

"This meeting has been called to review our strategy," Zuko said as all eyes turned on him. "As you all know, tomorrow we leave at first light. We will arrive at the threshold of the Water Tribe's fortress the following morning where we will implement our first stage of the invasion."

"I'm sure I don't need to remind you that we have a time limit," Qin noted somewhat nervously. "In four days time, the moon will be full. If we don't defeat the Water Tribe before the full moon rises, they will be undefeatable."

"You worry too much. Everything is under control. We intend to remove the moon as a factor," Zuko replied. "Admiral Zhao, would you care to explain?"

"Of course, Prince Zuko," Zhao replied as he came to stand to address the group. "Years ago I stumbled upon a great and powerful secret—the identity of the Moon Spirit's mortal form."

There was a collective gasp among the commanders, and Ty Lee's eyes widened in surprise. She knew of the spirits, but she didn't know that any of them besides the Avatar could come into the mortal world. Zuko smirked as he took in the reaction of the room and gestured for Zhao to continue.

"I was a young Lieutenant serving under General Shu in the Earth Kingdom. I discovered a hidden library—underground, in fact. I tore through scroll after scroll. One of them contained a detailed illustration and the words 'moon' and 'ocean.' I knew then that these spirits could be found—and killed," he finished with a cold smile.

"Total victory is inevitable," Zuko declared, his expression matching Zhao's.

The excitement of the commanders and captains could be felt upon hearing such news. However, Ty Lee couldn't help but feel that this was dangerous. She knew that the spirits helped keep the world in balance—the moon was just as important as the sun. She bit her lip nervously, not daring to voice her objection to this plan in a room full of high-ranking soldiers or to the crown prince himself.

The meeting continued, with Prince Zuko, Admiral Zhao, and War Minister Qin outlining the responsibilities of each commander and captain. Ty Lee learned that she would be among the soldiers directly under Zuko's command. She did her best to pay attention, pushing her concerned thoughts to the side.

* * *

Ty Lee was lost in thought as she entered her cabin. She did not want to be here, and she was worried about Azula. Of course, there was the much larger issue of what Zuko and Zhao were planning. So wrapped up in her worrying, the acrobat failed to notice the presence of someone standing in the corner of her room.

"Ty Lee, it's me," came a quiet, but unmistakable voice.

"Azula?" the acrobat replied with wide eyes, as she spun around to see the girl pulling the facemask away from the helmet she was wearing. Before the princess could say anything, her friend had her arms wrapped around her in a hug. Azula returned the gesture. "What are you doing here?" she asked, pulling away.

"I figured this was the only way to get myself to the North Pole to capture the Avatar," Azula replied, purposefully leaving out the tidbit about Zhao hiring a bounty hunter to capture her. She knew Ty Lee well enough to know that the acrobat might accidentally say something in anger to Zhao about it, and then her cover would be blown.

"Good idea," Ty Lee said with a nod. "I'm glad to see you're okay, Azula. I was worried about you."

"Well, as you can see, there's nothing to worry about," the princess tried to reassure her.

"Yeah…" The girl paused, crinkling her nose. "You sure could use a bath though," she teased.

"I know," Azula scowled. "You wouldn't happen to have anything I could freshen myself up with?"

"I guess you can't exactly go bathe with the other soldiers, huh? I'll ask one of the servants onboard to bring some clean water."

Ty Lee poked her head out the door to make her request, while Azula stood in a shadowed corner. Moments later, the acrobat was back inside, locking the door behind her.

"You should stay here with me until we get to the North Pole. No one comes into my cabin without announcing themselves, so you can easily hide."

"Thanks," Azula said, removing her helmet and slumping down onto a nearby chair.

Ty Lee took in the sight of her friend and frowned slightly. "You look exhausted."

"I am," the princess admitted, weariness creeping into her voice. "I'll be okay." Azula paused and gazed up at her friend, noticing that she was a little more subdued than usual. "Are you okay?"

The acrobat shook her head. "Not really, no," she replied.

Azula raised a questioning eyebrow, but a knock at the door interrupted them. The princess quickly jumped to her feet and moved to the shadowed corner. Ty Lee allowed the servant to enter and directed them to the wall opposite where Azula was hiding to place the basin of water. Moments later, they were gone, the princess having gone unnoticed.

"You wash up and get some rest, Azula," Ty Lee said, lying down on her mattress. "We can talk tomorrow."

Azula nodded, deciding to let the conversation go for now as she walked over to the basin, heating the water with her firebending. The princess quickly undressed and washed her body and hair as thoroughly as she could. It felt good to be clean again.

Slipping back into the trousers and shirt of her uniform, Azula turned to face the room, only to find that Ty Lee was fast asleep. The princess padded over the mattress and lay down next to her friend, finally allowing herself to succumb to exhaustion as she fell into a much-needed sleep.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

Ty Lee yawned as she stretched her lithe body out across the mattress. She opened her sleepy gray eyes, slowly acclimating herself to being awake. Gently rolling over onto her side, she took in the sight of Azula, who had already been up for nearly an hour, silently going through some basic firebending forms without actually bending any flames. It was obvious to Ty Lee that the girl was far from 100 percent.

Azula, sensing her friend's eyes on her—and therefore, realizing she was now awake—decided that she'd practiced enough. She felt better than she had in days, but her muscles were sore from the ordeal with Jun. Then there was her still nagging injury.

"Did you sleep well, Azula?" Ty Lee asked quietly, a gentle smile gracing her lips.

"Yes," Azula replied simply, taking a seat beside her on the mattress. "I could use some food though."

"I'll have a servant bring some breakfast," the acrobat replied, pushing herself up to stand. The girl padded across the room and over to the door to make her request. A short time later, a servant with a tray knocked at the door. Ty Lee quickly thanked the man and took the food and hot tea in herself.

The acrobat placed the items out on the small table in her room, as the two girls sat down to eat. Azula watched as Ty Lee removed the lid over her plate to reveal fried eggs and grilled slices of meat over a bed of steamed rice. There was also a small spread consisting of nuts, cheese, and fruit. It had been nearly a day since the princess had had any food, and her mouth watered at the sight.

Using her chopsticks, Azula chose a piece of the meat. As she chewed, the firebender murmured in appreciation. It was cooked just how she liked it with the perfect amount of spice.

"So, do you know how you're going to capture the Avatar?" Ty Lee asked before popping a litchi nut in her mouth.

"I have some ideas, but nothing really firm," Azula replied before sipping at the spiced tea—her favorite. "There are some things I won't be able to figure out until we actually get to the North Pole."

Ty Lee nodded in understanding, and they continued to eat their breakfast together in silence for awhile—Azula going over various plans in her mind while Ty Lee got lost in thought. The firebender paused in her planning long enough to notice the troubled look on the acrobat's face.

"You know, you never did tell me what was bothering you last night," the princess said, pulling the other girl from her thoughts. "What gives, Ty Lee?"

Ty Lee bit her lower lip nervously. "Zuko and Zhao are planning on killing the moon or the ocean spirit—maybe both of them."

Azula's eyes widened a touch. "How could they do that?"

"Apparently, those two spirits took on a mortal form. And Zhao knows where to find them. They live somewhere at the North Pole."

"Well, assuming they were really able to kill them, what would be the problem?"

"Because if the moon or ocean spirits are killed, the world will be completely unbalanced. It would be complete chaos."

"How can you be so sure? After all, the Avatar is the planet's spirit incarnated into a human form—a mortal form. When he dies, the planet doesn't descend into chaos. Besides, he always comes back. It just takes sixteen years before the world knows who the Avatar is."

"This isn't the same thing. The Avatar is the planet's spirit incarnated. The way Zhao described it, it seems like the moon and ocean spirits actually _left_ the spirit world to become part of our world. Look, I know you don't believe in too much spiritual stuff. I know you just humor me when I talk about auras and energy and things like that. But it's real. It's plain as day to me. I can see and feel the different energies on the planet and the universe. You just have to be open to it."

"I believe it more than you seem to realize," Azula replied with a half smile, shaking her head as she finally realized what Ty Lee was tuning into. "I can feel the energy of the sun, and I know that waterbenders can feel the energy of the moon. Those energies are what power our bending. But that's besides the point. If what you're saying is true—that killing these spirits would basically destroy the world—what are you going to do about it, Ty Lee?" the firebender asked, looking at her friend seriously.

"That's the problem, Azula," Ty Lee sighed. "I don't know. What can I do? I can't go against your brother."

"Have you told him of the dangers?"

The acrobat shook her head.

"You need to tell him," Azula said firmly. "This is serious, Ty Lee. You need to tell Zuko to wait until after the full moon to attack the Northern Water Tribe. That way there won't be any need to kill any spirits, but the Fire Nation will still be victorious."

"I'll try," Ty Lee replied, but both girls knew there was a greater chance of him not listening than heeding the acrobat's warning. Zuko was too proud for his own good, and the Fire Nation had long since given up harmonious relationships—starting with Fire Lord Sozin's hunting of dragons and culminating with this plan to slay the moon and ocean.

* * *

"So they don't have palaces in the Southern Tribe?" Princess Yue asked as she walked along the bridge, glancing up at Sokka who was walking on top of the bridge's guard rail.

The boy stopped and sat down on the rail, facing the white-haired girl. "Are you kidding? I grew up on a block of ice. It's not exactly a cultural hub."

Yue's face lit up with a warm smile as she laughed at his joke. She put her hand on Sokka's shoulder, but after a moment, she pulled back and looked at him seriously. "Sokka, this is wrong."

"What's wrong? We're taking a walk!" he said good naturedly, smiling at her while wishing hers hadn't vanished so quickly. Her laughter was the sweetest thing he had ever heard, and he loved to be the source of it.

"I'm engaged. It just feels…" she trailed off as she began to walk away.

His face fell for a moment, but the grin returned as an idea struck him. "I know what you need!" he exclaimed, hopping off the rail to stand beside Yue. "You need to meet my good friend Appa!"

"Who?"

"Come on, I'll show you. Follow me," he said, as the pair made their way to the sky bison's pen. As they entered, the two of them found Appa busily eating from an enormous pile of greenery in front of him.

"Appa and I go way back. Don't we, boy?" Sokka said to the bison.

Having noticed the boy's arrival, Appa shifted his attention from his food to his friend. Happily, the beast pinned Sokka down with his forepaws.

"Ahh! Easy!" Sokka exclaimed, before Appa licked him from bottom to top. "Down, boy! Ahh! No! Up!" he said, to no avail. But the sound that followed was worth it.

Yue laughed lightly. "Looks like you haven't been giving Appa enough attention."

Sokka struggled to try and free himself from Appa's embrace, but he couldn't keep the smile off his face. "Would you like to go for a ride?" he asked.

Yue's eyes widened a bit in surprise, as she smiled at Sokka and nodded. The boy then led the princess up onto the saddle.

"So how does this work?" Yue asked.

"You hanging on tight?"

"Mmm hmm," she confirmed, as she gripped onto the edge of the bison's saddle.

With a smug grin, Sokka pulled on the reigns. "Yip yip." At those words, Appa soared up into the nearly cloudless sky, and outside the main city.

"Oh my goodness!" Yue exclaimed, feeling exhilarated by the sensation of flight."Wow!" she continued, blushing slightly. "I can't believe you do this every day!"

"Yeah," Sokka said as he stretched his arms, "We pretty much live up here."

Yue then wrapped her arms around herself in an effort to keep warm. "Is it always this cold in the sky?" she asked, before snuggling up against Sokka.

"Not when you're with someone," he said as he looked at her, thrilled at having the girl so close to him. His words caused her to blush again.

"It's beautiful up here," she said.

"Yeah," he agreed dreamily, never taking his eyes off the princess. The two locked eyes, gazing at each other with adoration. Unconsciously, they began to move closer to one another until they were a hair's breadth away from kissing. Suddenly, Sokka realized what they were about to do. The moment was lost as he quickly pulled away.

"Whoo! Yeah! Good times! Good times!" he said, rubbing the back of his neck and looking forward. He noticed then that snow was beginning to fall around them. But something was off about it. Up ahead, he could see more snowfall.

Sokka pulled on Appa's reigns, directing him to fly forward into a squall of snowflakes. Strangely, most of the snowflakes were black.

"What's happening?" Yue asked worriedly.

"Oh no," he said, hoping he was wrong. He brought Appa down to land, as he helped Yue from the saddle. Leaning down, the boy picked up the "snow" that had fallen and examined it. It was completely ashen. "Soot," Sokka said grimly.

"What?" she asked, not sure of what this meant.

"I've seen it before. Right before my village was attacked. It's soot mixed with snow."

"But why?"

"It's the Fire Nation. They've closed in on the North Pole. And from the looks of the stuff," he said, his attention was now locked ahead on the sky over the ocean horizon, which was darkened by a mammoth, dense gray cloud, "I'd say there's a lot of them."

* * *

Ty Lee took a deep breath as she stood outside Prince Zuko's quarters. The guards had just announced her arrival, and she was waiting for them to allow her entrance. After what felt like hours, but was merely a few moments, Ty Lee was ushered inside. She decided to err on the side of caution and prostrated before the young prince, who was seated on a slightly raised platform covered in cushions.

"You requested to see me, Ty Lee?" Zuko spoke, indicating that Ty Lee could rise. The acrobat came to sit on her heels, her expression serious.

"Yes, Prince Zuko. I've been thinking about your plan to kill the spirits," she began, somewhat nervously. "We need the moon as much as we need the sun. By destroying the moon, the world will be thrown out of balance."

"Is that so?" Zuko asked while managing to look both thoughtful and threatening.

"Yes," she said, a little more firmly now. "If you do that, the whole world will be in peril—including the Fire Nation."

Zuko's eyes narrowed a bit as he regarded the girl before him, causing Ty Lee to lower her gaze. He'd never been one to fear or respect the spirits, but he knew from Mai that Ty Lee was—and that was clearly effecting her judgment. However, it was something to consider.

"Will that be all, Ty Lee?" he finally asked calmly.

Gray eyes looked up to meet cool amber. She nodded. "Yes, Prince Zuko."

"Then get some rest. You'll need it," he replied. Ty Lee thought he almost sounded concerned for her well-being.

The acrobat stood up and bowed before showing herself out. Her brow furrowed as she walked back to her cabin. She really had no idea what Zuko was thinking, or if he had been at all receptive to what she had said. One thing was for certain: the conversation hadn't left her feeling very reassured.

* * *

The members of the Northern Water Tribe gathered in the Great Hall as evening fell. Chief Arnook had called an urgent meeting in light of what he had learned from Sokka and Katara's previous experience with the Fire Nation. All eyes were on their leader as he stepped upon the dais.

"The day we have feared for so long has arrived," the chief began. "The Fire Nation is on our doorstep. It is with great sadness I call my family here before me, knowing well that some of these faces are about to vanish from our tribe. But they will never vanish from our hearts. Now, as we approach the battle for our existence, I call upon the great spirits!" he shouted, raising his arms above his head. "Spirit of the Ocean! Spirit of the Moon! Be with us!"

Arnook then lowered his arms and looked out into the crowd. "I'm going to need volunteers for a dangerous mission."

Sokka didn't hesitate. "Count me in," he said, pushing himself up to stand.

"Sokka!" Katara exclaimed. She feared losing him in battle, but knew he was a warrior at heart. It was where he belonged.

Many other men began to stand up in the crowd along with her brother then, as Arnook picked up a nearby bowl filled with red war paint mixed with water from the Spirit Oasis.

"Be warned," Arnook said soberly. "Many of you will not return. Come forward to receive my mark if you accept the task."

The men then formed a line in front of the chief to receive their marks. Sokka was the first to stand before the man. Arnook dipped his fingers in the bowl, before placing three red lines on the boy's forehead.

As Sokka turned to leave, he made eye contact with Princess Yue before turning away and leaving the Great Hall. Tears filled Yue's blue eyes. Unable to hold back, she began to cry silently.

* * *

"Seeing as we're almost at the North Pole, I take it my brother didn't heed your warning," Azula commented upon Ty Lee's return.

The girl sighed heavily as she took a seat next to the firebender on her mattress. "I'm not sure. I'll just have to try and take out as many waterbenders as I can. Then hopefully Zuko will see that he doesn't need to go to such an extreme."

"That's a good plan, Ty Lee. I'm sure they won't stand a chance against an invasion force of this size anyway," Azula said, trying to put her friend's mind at ease.

"Speaking of plans," the acrobat began. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," Azula replied confidently. "Assuming Zuko is still following the same plan of attack that you told me about earlier, I'll leave this ship tomorrow night, well after dark."

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Azula? I mean, you're still hurt."

Azula scowled. "I'm fine," she lied.

Ty Lee frowned a bit, but decided to drop it. There was no sense in arguing with Azula. She had her mind set on capturing the Avatar, and she knew time wasn't on the firebender's side.

"Zuko won't need me until we actually make landing in the Northern Water Tribe. Is there anything you need me to do in the meantime?" she asked. If there was anyway she could help Azula get an advantage—seeing as she was injured and would be trekking over terrain not ideal for a firebender—she would do it.

"I need new clothes. The red uniform kind of sticks out against the snow," she said wryly.

"So something white," Ty Lee presumed.

Azula nodded with a half smile. "That's it. Everything else, I can take care of. Until then, we should both rest up. I doubt either of us will have much time for that after tomorrow."

Ty Lee smiled somewhat in agreement, as she reminded herself to focus on the present, and that there was no sense in focusing on the negative. She was always a positive person, and that had gotten her—and Azula—through some very hard times. There was no reason to stop doing what had always worked for her—even if she was about to embark on the toughest challenge the universe had presented to her yet.

* * *

The sun was rising as Aang sat on a pylon at the top of the Water Tribe's citadel steps, looking out over the walls to the ocean horizon in the distance. He heard the sound of people approaching behind him but kept his gaze fixed ahead of him.

"The stillness before battle is unbearable," Chief Arnook said quietly as he came to stand at Aang's right followed by Katara, who walked up to the boy's left. "Such a quiet dread."

"I wasn't there when the Fire Nation attacked my people," Aang said, determination filling his voice. "I'm gonna make a difference this time."


	23. Chapter 23

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the delay. I got stuck on a major detail of this story, but it's all sorted out now. You'll recognize a lot events from canon when it comes to the heroes' side of the story at the beginning of the siege. I promise things will start to deviate though.

* * *

**Chapter 23**

A row of Northern Water Tribe warriors lined the top of their city wall, their faces painted for war. Standing in the center of the warriors was Aang atop Appa, with Katara and Sokka to his left. All of them wore an expression of fierce determination, knowing they would do everything in their power to stop the Fire Nation's impending attack.

All looked to be calm and quiet across the ocean waters on what was a beautiful sunny day. Then, in the distance, a single warship could be seen. Moments later, the calmness of the morning was shattered as it launched a fireball directly at the center of the city wall. It struck the water symbol there, blowing a massive hole through it. Many of the warriors were immediately thrown backwards into the city by the concussion, along with huge chunks of ice and debris.

Almost immediately, another fireball was flying through the air towards the city. This one landed in a canal with an explosion of smoke, water, and fire. Yet another fireball was launched from a Fire Nation trebuchet on the approaching ship's foredeck. It hit the right side of the city wall, shattering a piece of it. Appa recoiled and roared as the smoke and exploding ice created havoc around him.

Knowing that it was time to spring into action, Aang commanded his bison to lift off. "Yip! Yip!" he cried out. Appa then ascended off the wall towards the Fire Navy ship.

Meanwhile, the defenders on the wall tried to reorganize. Sokka searched among the wreckage of the ruined wall, looking frantically for his sister. "Katara!?" he called out to her. A large mound of snow began to move then, eventually revealing Katara as she waterbent her way out, blasting a large chunk of the snow away to release herself. Sokka helped her to her feet just in time to see two more fireballs come over the city wall.

* * *

Zuko stood on the foredeck of his ship, spyglass held up to his eye to get a closer look on the attack that was being unleashed on the Northern Tribe's city wall. A smirk came to his face. The damage caused by the trebuchets of just one ship was astounding. The tribe didn't stand a chance against his naval fleet.

* * *

Appa roared as he and Aang flew through the sky. The airbender's expression was grave as they approached the Fire Navy ship. Noticing the Avatar's approach, the soldiers on board fired several fireballs at them, which the bison easily evaded. The last of them, Aang managed to bat out of the with his staff. The blow changed the trajectory of the fireball, and it harmlessly struck the ice cliff to the left of the city.

"I'll take it from here, boy!" Aang called out and Appa then inverted himself so the boy could drop out of the saddle in a free fall. After a few seconds, he opened his glider, closing in on the ship. Dodging several more fireballs aimed at him, Aang began to make landing on the foredeck, breaking the rest of his fall by using his staff as a helicopter blade.

As he landed, he whipped up a strong gale, blowing almost the entire deck crew off the back. Aang then hopped up onto the arm of the loaded trebuchet and began to walk down it. However, a huge Fire Nation soldier blocked his way, and forced the boy back up the arm. Two more soldiers then climbed the trebuchet behind Aang, swinging hammers at him but missing and unintentionally damaging the trebuchet. The structure now weakened, Aang saw his chance and shot into the air. With a mighty blow, he blasted the trebuchet into a dozen pieces.

Aang then ran over to another other trebuchet on deck. He broke the chain that stops the trebuchet arm from overextending and then fired the trebuchet, causing the weapon to shoot its fireball into the deck, straight through the forepeak and into the water below.

With Fire Nation guards in hot pursuit, Aang then ran back up the deck to the a pair trebuchets. He tied the chains of two trebuchets together in a bow knot before running over to one of the machine's firing mechanisms and kicking it into operation. The activated trebuchet drew the one it was tied to across the deck towards itself forcing the them to strike each other. Upon impact, they disintegrated into a pile of scrapped metal.

Aang grinned widely as he heads to yet another trebuchet. The airbender was about to strike the firing mechanism with a hammer when he saw a large Fire Nation warrior approach wielding chained hammers. Dropping his own hammer in fear, Aang narrowly avoided the weapon aimed at him and hid behind one of the trebuchet's girders. It turned out to be a bad choice, as he was quickly ensnared by two chains wrapping around him.

Appa suddenly swooped down, breaking the chain and knocking the warrior off to the other side of the deck. The bison peered over the side of the ship, having thrown the large warrior overboard with a grunt and a shove of his paw. Aang freed himself from his now loose chains as he called out to his best friend in gratitude, "Appa!" He ran over and jumped onto his forehead, bear hugging him. "Thanks for the rescue, buddy!"

Without warning, the ship started to vibrate violently. A huge spear of ice broke through the foredeck straight into the sky. The ship's hull was encased in rapidly expanding ice. The Fire Navy ship was surrounded by Water Tribe skiffs full of waterbenders. Together, using their waterbending, they lifted the warship out of the water on a bed of ice.

Satisfied, Appa and Aang then flew up from the now wrecked ship, but as they did so, he caught sight of what was on the ocean before him. The horizon was full of Fire Navy ships as far as the eye could see.

"You have got to be kidding me," he said as his expression turned to one of horror and surprise.

* * *

"How's the battle going so far?" Azula asked Ty Lee, who had just returned to her cabin with a small bag filled with supplies.

"Zuko said everything is going as planned so far. By the time night falls, this ship should be close enough to the fortress wall—whatever's left of it that is," Ty Lee said with a slight smile as she sat beside her friend.

Azula smirked in reaction. "Were you able to get me everything I needed?"

Ty Lee nodded, pulling open the bag to show Azula its contents.

"Good." She rummaged through the bag to make sure everything was there. "Thanks, Ty Lee."

"Anything to help. If I could go with you, I would," the acrobat said earnestly.

"I know," Azula said looking up into warm gray eyes. "I appreciate it. And… just think. We'll be going home soon," she finished confidently.

* * *

"Men, you'll be infiltrating the Fire Nation navy. That means you'll all need one of these uniforms," Chief Arnook addressed the assembled group of Water Tribe warriors, including Sokka, as he gestured to the young man who had just entered the room.

Sokka looked over to see an arrogant looking, dark haired warrior wearing what appeared to be a Fire Navy uniform. However, it became quickly apparent to Sokka that it was not a current standard issue. For starters, the shoulder armor had wings that curved upward. The boy couldn't hold back a laugh at the sight. As the other warriors turned to look at him, he covered his mouth with his hand in an attempt to stifle himself.

"What's your problem?" the arrogant teen asked him.

"Fire Navy uniforms don't look like that," Sokka replied, pointing at his uniform.

"Of course they do. These are real uniforms captured from actual Fire Navy soldiers."

"When, like a hundred years ago?"

"Eighty-five," Chief Arnook clarified, somewhat embarrassed.

"The Fire Nation doesn't wear shoulder spikes anymore," Sokka explained as he walked toward the other teen and bent the tip of one of the shoulder spikes back with the tip of his finger. "The newer uniforms are more streamlined."

"How do we know we can trust this guy?" the arrogant boy asked his chief before turning a threatening expression on Sokka. "Such bold talk for a new recruit."

"Sokka is from our sister tribe, Hahn. He is a capable warrior, and I value his input," Arnook replied.

At those words of praise, Sokka looked smugly at Hahn, who was clearly not pleased.

"Sokka, I want you to tell everything you know to Hahn. He is leading this mission. Hahn, show Sokka your respect. I expect nothing less from my future son-in-law."

As Arnook took his leave, Sokka's jaw dropped in shock at the Chief's last pronouncement. "Princess Yue's marrying you?" he asked incredulously, pointing his finger at Hahn.

"Yeah, what of it?"

"Nothing," Sokka grumbled, turning away. "Congratulations."

* * *

As the sun began to set, advancing ranks of Fire Navy ships continued to fire volleys of fireballs towards the city.

Master Pakku, leading a group of waterbenders, shouted out a command, "Stop those fireballs!"

As a fireball beared down on them, they collectively raised up a barrier of water, freezing it as the fireball made impact, immediately extinguishing it.

* * *

"It's almost twilight, Prince Zuko," War Minister Qin reminded the boy as they stood on the deck of his ship, watching the attack.

"Soon the moon will no longer be a factor," Zuko replied. "But until then, we'll play it safe. Drop the anchors. We'll resume the attack at daybreak."

"Yes, your highness."

All in all, it had been a successful day's battle, the prince mused.

* * *

Katara and Princess Yue stood in front of the citadel looking out over the city and its walls to the line of threatening Fire Navy ships, who they realized had just dropped their anchors.

"They've stopped firing," Yue noticed with some relief.

Just then, they noticed Appa flying towards them. Pointing up at them, Katara called out Aang's name. Moments later, the bison landed in the plaza at the base of the citadel steps. The two girls ran down to greet them.

Exhausted, Appa's plopped down on his belly—too tired to stand on his feet anymore. Aang was hunched over in the saddle, looking thoroughly dejected. With a sigh, he slid down, coming to rest beside his bison.

"I can't do it," he said, burying his head in his hands. "I can't do it."

"What happened?" Katara asked.

"I must have taken out a dozen Fire Navy ships, but there's just too many of them," Aang replied, looking up at her. "I can't fight them all."

"But, you have to!" Yue insisted. "You're the Avatar!"

"I'm just one kid."

The boy then buried his head in his arms as Katara sat down beside him in an attempt to comfort him.

* * *

Azula was ready. Gone was her Fire Nation uniform. Instead, she now wore white clothes to better blend in with the elements of the North Pole. With her supply pack strapped across her back, she began to prepare the small boat she would take to leave her brother's ship.

The door behind her opened unexpectedly then. Spinning around, Azula caught sight of Ty Lee entering and shutting the door behind her. The exile let out a sigh of relief.

"Ty Lee, what are you doing here?" she whispered.

"I just wanted to make sure you got off the ship okay," Ty Lee replied quietly. "And well, I didn't get to say goodbye before you left my cabin because of that last minute meeting with Zuko. We probably won't see each other again until we're both in the Fire Nation."

Before Azula could say anything, Ty Lee stepped forward and pulled the other girl into a hug. The firebender returned it for a moment or two before pulling away.

"I have to go. We'll meet again," she said, pulling her hood up, "after I have the Avatar."

With those words, Azula climbed into the boat and began to lower it into the water.

Ty Lee watched her friend go and smiled at the girl. "Good luck, Azula."

Azula nodded at the acrobat before turning her attention to her destination. Beyond the line of Fire Navy ships, somewhere in the Northern Water Tribe, lay her goal. She was determined to let nothing stop her this time.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

Sokka and Hahn stood side-by-side in the armory, sharpening their axe blades on wheels. Clearly unhappy, Sokka applied too much pressure to the blade, causing sparks to fly off the blade. Hahn seemed to be oblivious to the other boy's displeasure.

"Let me tell ya, Soka," he said, mispronouncing Sokka's name. "I've courted a lot of girls, but Yue is the finest, and she comes with the most perks."

Sokka felt a surge of anger over Hahn's remarks. "Perks!? What does that mean?"

"I mean, Yue's nice and everything, but the points I'll get with the Chief aren't bad either."

"Princess Yue is wasted on a self absorbed weasel like you!" Sokka shouted, unable to hold back any longer, taking Hahn by surprise.

"Whoa, hang on. What do you care? You're just a simple rube from the Southern Tribe. What would you know of the political complexities of our life? No offense."

Now livid, Sokka yelled in anger and tackled Hahn to the ground. Getting the upper hand, he rolled on top of the Northern warrior and punched him in face. "You're just a jerk without a soul! No offense!"

The two teens continued to wrestle on the ground for a bit before Chief Arnook broke them up. "That's enough!" They immediately stopped what they were doing and brought themselves to their feet. "Sokka, you're off the mission," he finished, looking pointedly at the boy.

Sokka's face crumpled in humiliation, as Hahn turned his attention to the assembled warriors.

"Alright, fall in men! Everybody listen to what I say, and we'll take out this Prince Kuzo in no time."

"It's Prince Zuko!" an exasperated Sokka shouted after them as they departed. Once he was alone, his shoulders slumped. Sure his pride had been hurt by the chief taking him off the mission in front of everyone, but the thought of Yue having to marry someone like Hahn bothered him most of all. _"No wonder she's so upset about it. The guy's a total jerk who doesn't care about her at all."_

* * *

As Azula approached the Northern Tribe's city water's, she navigated her small boat through the ice flows that led to the damaged city wall. Glancing up, she noticed a few sentries patrolling the top of the damaged barrier. She would have to keep moving.

Finally, she found a section of ice near the wall that appeared to be obscured from the sentries' view. Bringing her small craft toward it, she made landing. Quietly getting out of the boat, she grabbed her pack, which was also camouflaged white—and strapped it to her back.

Based on what Ty Lee had observed and the map of the Northern Water Tribe the acrobat at given Azula, the firebender was able to determine more or less where her next destination was. She knew she would be unable to come back this way once she had the Avatar in her possession as it would most likely be nearing daybreak then, and the Fire Navy's attack would be in full force.

No, she needed another way out of the Northern Water Tribe. But first she needed to get in.

Her eyes scanned the fortress wall. The most damaged sections of the wall had the most men patrolling, so it was a matter of finding someplace where it was damaged only just enough for her to slip inside the fortress. If not for her injured shoulder, she thought she even may have been able to climb an undamaged section of wall, as those had no sentries, but she needed to conserve her strength. Finally, she spotted the perfect place for her to slip inside.

She began to move as silently as she could along the fortress wall, all the while avoiding the hawk eyes of the Water Tribe sentries, pausing whenever needed. After a few moments, she reached the break in the wall and slipped inside undetected.

"_So far, so good,"_ she thought to herself, crouching low and pressing herself against the inside of the wall as she moved into a shadow. Her eyes narrowed as she took in the positions of the various men she could see on patrol. There weren't too many of them, and almost all of them appeared to be guards. _"The warriors and waterbenders must be resting up for the battle tomorrow,"_ she realized. _"Good. That will make things a little easier."_

Recalling the map she had seen earlier, Azula knew which direction she had to go. Moving in an eastern direction away from the city proper, the exile stealthily headed toward her initial destination—the Water Tribe port.

* * *

"The legends say the moon was the first waterbender," Yue explained to Katara and Aang as they looked over the city from the girl's room. The moon was nearly full and looked beautiful in the night sky. "Our ancestors saw how it pushed and pulled the tides and learned how to do it themselves."

"I've always noticed my waterbending is stronger at night," Katara said.

"Our strength comes from the Spirit of the Moon. Our life comes from the Spirit of the Ocean. They work together to keep balance."

At those words, Aang's eyes widened. "The Spirits! Maybe I can find them and get their help."

"How can you do that?" Yue asked him.

"The Avatar is the bridge between our world and the Spirit World," Katara explained. "Aang can talk to them!"

Yue smiled hopefully. "Maybe they'll give you the wisdom to win this battle!"

"Or, maybe they'll unleash a crazy amazing spirit attack on the Fire Nation!" Aang replied excitedly.

Katara and Yue stared at Aang. He smiled a bit at them. "Or wisdom. That's good too."

"The only problem is, last time you got to the Spirit World by accident. How are you going to get there this time?" Katara asked.

"I have an idea. Follow me," Yue said, leading them out of the palace and through a courtyard behind the citadel to a small wooden door.

"So is this the way to the Spirit World?" Aang asked.

Yue laughed. "No, you'll have to get there on your own, but I can take you to the most spiritual place in the entire North Pole," she explained, opening the door.

Aang, Katara, and Momo followed her inside to a chamber. Aang's eyes lit up as he took in the sight of a waterfall near the back coming from a glacier. From that came a long pool of water. Along either side of the pool were two ledges, which each had a bridge that led to a landing near the back of the chamber. The landing itself was filled with green foliage, had a small gate-like structure, and a small pool.

The airbender continued to look on in awe, filled with wonder at such a place existing at the North Pole. He then ran over the left bridge, letting out a joyful laugh, as he landed on the soft grass of the landing in front of the small pond.

"I never thought I'd miss grass this much!" he said, running his hands over the ground.

He flopped over on his back to see Yue and Katara walk onto the landing themselves.

"It's so warm here!" Katara exclaimed with a smile, as she took off her coat. "How is that possible?"

"It's the center of all spiritual energy in our land," Yue replied.

Aang looked down into the small pond where he saw two koi fish—one black and one white—circle each other in a timeless motion. Momo then skittered up to the pond and tried and grab the fish. He was immediately met with disapproval from the two girls, who looked at him sternly. Taking the hint, the flying lemur ran off.

"You're right, Yue," Aang said as he continued to take in the energy of the oasis. "I can feel… something. It's so… tranquil."

He then brought himself to sit cross-legged in front of the pond. Closing his eyes, he brought his hands into fists and pushed his knuckles together as he began to meditate.

* * *

Azula peered over the ledge that overlooked the Water Tribe port. She could make out several dozen warships that were powered by waterbending, but she knew not everyone here was a bender. There were also several other types of vessels that weren't for war, and for tasks such as a carrying cargo or fishing.

"_There must be some fishing vessels that can be operated by a single non-bender,"_ Azula thought as she crouched down and moved along the ledge. There were a few guards here. Slipping by them, she moved closer to the boats. Just as she had thought, there were several small fishing boats with supplies onboard. A quick inspection left her satisfied that she could commandeer it. She would simply have to wait for the right moment to board and float out of the port, which she was certain she could do. After that, she would have to take an unorthodox route away from the North Pole, but there was little choice in with the ensuing battle between the two nations.

"Step one is taken care, now to move onto step two—find the Avatar. He's in the city somewhere."

* * *

Chief Arnook entered the armory where he found Sokka, who was venting his frustration by sharpening his boomerang.

"Is something wrong, Sokka?" he asked the boy as he approached him.

"Oh no! Hahn's out there on the top secret mission while I'm here sharpening my boomerang. Everything's fine," he said sarcastically, keeping his back to the chief.

"Listen to me. I took you off the mission for selfish reasons. I have a special task in mind for you."

Sokka turned to face the man in anger "What? You want me to scrub the barracks?"

"I want you to guard my daughter, Princess Yue," the chief replied, unaffected by the boy's attitude. He understood why Sokka was so angry—he had overheard his argument with Hahn.

Immediately, Sokka's expression softened. "Er, sure. That shouldn't be too hard."

Arnook knew he had made the right choice. And perhaps, in the future—should they survive this battle—he would let Yue make her own choice.

* * *

Moving through the shadows of the city, Azula made her way near the armory. Pressing herself against the building, she saw a man who wore the markings of a chief walking with two other men. If anyone knew where the Avatar was, he would, she realized. It wouldn't do any good to approach him just yet.

She continued to watch and saw a woman come towards the men—the chief's wife. "Did you find him?" she asked.

"Yes, Sokka was more than happy to take on the task I had for him," he replied with a smile. "I'm sure Yue will like that as well."

Azula's ears perked up at this. Sokka was one of the Avatar's friends—although, it was possible that there was more than one Sokka. She didn't know how common a name it was.

"I'm sure she will," the man's wife replied.

"Have you told her that he's off the mission?"

"No, I haven't. I went up to her room, but the servants told me they saw her go to the spirit oasis with Aang and Katara."

The pair walked off with their guards in tow, their conversation becoming too soft for Azula to hear. But it didn't matter. She had heard everything she needed to hear. She knew where to find him.

* * *

In the spirit oasis, Aang still was sitting in his meditation pose beside the pool, as Katara and Yue stood behind him.

"Why is he sitting like that?" Yue asked Katara, whispering.

"He's meditating," she replied quietly. "Trying to cross over into the Spirit World. It takes all his concentration."

Aang cracked an eye open at the continued interruption.

"Is there any way we can help?" Yue asked.

"How bout some quiet!?" Aang exclaimed, turning to look at them. Abashed, Katara put her hand over her mouth. "Come on, guys! I can hear every word you're saying."

Resuming his pose, Aang gazed at the black and white koi fish circling each other in the pond. As he continued to look at them, they blurred into a yin yang. Spontaneously, his eyes flashed white and his arrows began to glow.

"Is he okay?" Yue asked.

"He's crossing into the Spirit World," Katara explained. "He'll be fine as long as we don't move his body. That's his way back to the physical world."

"Maybe we should get some help?" Yue suggested, beginning to walk toward the left footbridge.

"No, he's my friend. I'm perfectly capable of protecting him."

At those words, mocking laughter echoed in the chamber.

Shocked, Katara turned toward the source of the laughter to find Azula walking over the right footbridge towards the trio. "No!"

"Surrender the Avatar, and I won't have to hurt you," Azula said, fire forming at her fingertips.

Katara immediately dropped into a defensive waterbending stance, as Yue ran off to find help. Meanwhile, Aang was oblivious to the arising conflict around him, as he had just entered the Spirit World.

Azula stepped forward, launching several blasts of fire at Katara. The waterbender pulled water up from the pond and blocked the attack. Azula continued to fire more as she advanced on the other girl, but Katara's defense seemed to build in strength. As she doused Azula's fire flying toward her with water jets, she built enough momentum to push through the flame and land a blow on Azula's chest—knocking her back and laying her flat on the ground.

"You've gotten better, but you're still no match for me," Azula said as she pushed herself back up to stand. She knew that Katara was at her most powerful and she was at her weakest during the night. Her injured shoulder didn't help matters either, but she was still confident that she could beat the girl. There would be no more opportune time seeing as it was just her and Katara, and Aang was too deep in his meditation to fight against her.

Azula fired another blast, which Katara blocked. The waterbender then launched a counterattack, sending a stream of water at the firebender, hurling her backwards again. This time Azula retained her balance in the pool of water beneath her feet. Her injury was affecting her more than she had thought it would, much to her chagrin.

Before Azula could get another attack off, Katara froze the puddle of water under the princess's feet, trapping them in ice. Katara then raised a churning sphere of water from the main pool behind Azula, encasing her in it and freezing her entire body sans her head.

Azula glared at Katara, who wore a satisfied expression. The girl had obviously found a master to teach her. Perhaps she had underestimated her skill. Azula wouldn't make the same mistake again.

Using her breath of fire and heating her hands, Azula shattered the ice she was encased in with an explosion of fire. Katara threw her hands up to protect herself from the ice that flew toward her.

Running through the smoke and steam created from the explosion, Azula charged at Katara, releasing several streams of fire. Katara pulled more water from the pond and extinguished the flame. She rooted herself firmly between Azula and Aang, blocking the firebender from being able to reach him easily.

Azula was tiring much quicker than she normally would have—her right shoulder ached fiercely—and Katara was simply too powerful with an almost full moon to aid her. _"I will not give up! Not when I'm this close,"_ Azula thought, hardening her expression as she let loose an arc of flame with a sweeping leg kick, and ran toward Aang in an attempt to grab him.

Katara managed to extinguish the flame coming toward her, but not enough to stop Azula from grabbing her friend. Azula gripped onto the boy's collar with her left hand, dragging him back the way she game. Desperate, the waterbender blasted a huge water jet at Azula. The princess was unable to block the attack and she lost her grip on Aang. Before she could regain her footing, Katara unleashed a wave at her, sending her up against the oasis wall and freezing her in place.

Azula bared her teeth in anger and frustration, but she didn't have the strength to break out of the ice prison. She needed the sun.

"Why can't you just leave us alone?" Katara asked, anger in her voice.

"I've told you before," Azula snapped back. "Are all peasants as thickheaded as you?"

Katara bit down on her retort as she continued to glare at the banished princess.

* * *

"It's daybreak," Zuko said, looking out across the water toward the citadel. "Resume the attack!" he commanded.

Moments later, the front lines opened fire on the Water Tribe.

"It won't be long now," he said to himself with a satisfied smile.

* * *

Satisfied that Azula wasn't going anywhere, Katara turned away from the girl to make sure Aang was alright. A quick inspection showed that he was fine. The girl then lifted him up to move his body back to the spot where he had started his meditation.

As she did so, sunlight began to trickle into the oasis—its rays shining against Azula's face. Her amber eyes lit up and she took a deep inhale, feeling her body fill with renewed strength. And she knew that as she grew stronger, Katara would grow weaker.

Letting out a steaming breath through her nostrils, Azula began to melt the ice holding her in place. As soon as she was free, she charged at Katara—sending off her strongest attack yet—a powerful firebomb with her left fist. The waterbender, clearly caught off guard, never had a chance to block it. The force of the blast blew her across the oasis and into a wall, knocking the girl into unconsciousness.

"She can't protect you anymore, Avatar," Azula said as she looked down at the still meditating boy.

* * *

The prow of Zuko's warship dropped its bowsprit, slicing open the citadel's main wall. Along the bowsprit, Fire Nation troops began entering the city. Behind them, Zuko, Ty Lee, and his imperial firebenders prepared to step onto the battlefield.

"The Water Tribe can try to resist the inevitable, but their city will fall today. Let's show them why the Fire Nation is the most powerful nation on the planet."

* * *

In her attempt to get help, Yue had run into Sokka. The two of them immediately flew to the oasis on Appa, but it was obvious when they arrived that they were too late. Aang and Azula were gone, and Katara was on the ground with Momo sitting beside her worriedly.

Sokka jumped off the saddle to where his sister lay. "Katara!" he shouted, pulling the girl up into his arms. She let out a pained groan and cracked open her eyes. "Katara, are you alright?" he asked as Yue knelt down on the other side of her, concerned.

"Aang," she said, trying to sit up.

"Take it easy," Sokka said, helping her. "What happened?"

"Azula. She's taken Aang."

"Where did they go?"

"I don't know, but we have to find them."


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

Carrying Aang over her good shoulder, Azula had backtracked out of the spirit oasis and once again moved along the outskirts of the city to avoid detection. Fortunately, he wasn't particularly heavy, enabling her to keep a decent pace. She figured it would take her a solid hour to make it to the port. She could already make out the sounds of fireballs smashing against the fortress walls, knowing the battle was in full swing.

After having put some distance between herself and the spirit oasis, Azula placed Aang on the ground, laying him on his stomach. His tattoos were still glowing, indicating his deep meditative state. She had no idea how much longer he would stay that way and didn't want to take any chances with the boy.

Opening her pack, she took out a coil of rope and a long strip of cloth. Pulling Aang's arms behind him, she first tied his wrists together, then did the same with his ankles. Next, she wrapped the rope around his body, pinning his arms to his sides. Knowing that he still had the ability to airbend using his breath, she then took the strip of cloth and gagged the airbender with it.

Quickly checking over the ropes to make sure they were secure, Azula then lifted Aang back up onto her shoulder and started moving once more.

* * *

Katara knelt next to the pool where Aang had last been before Azula had taken him. She felt guilty about letting the firebender get away with her friend. Tears filled her eyes as she spoke. "I can't believe I lost him."

"You did everything you could," Sokka said in an effort to reassure her. "And now we need to do everything we can to get him back."

The young warrior turned from his sister to help Yue up onto Appa. Katara turned to look at her brother, who glanced back at her.

"Azula can't have gotten far. We'll find her. Aang's gonna be fine," he said confidently.

Katara stood up, knowing that her brother was right. "Okay."

Momo was sitting, looking out over the pond. Katara looked down at him and said, "It's alright. You stay here, Momo—in case Aang comes back."

He chittered sadly in response.

Katara then climbed atop Appa, where Sokka and Yue were waiting.

"Yip! Yip!" Sokka called out to the bison, and Appa launched himself up into the sky and out of the spirit oasis. To the north, the trio saw the dark gray clouds of a blizzard.

"Do you think Azula would have taken Aang into that?" Katara asked Sokka.

"Not unless she absolutely had to," he reasoned. "No, she must be looking for a way out of the North Pole. The only way is by boat. We just need to figure out which one," he finished. Considering how many Fire Navy ships were in these waters, Sokka knew it wouldn't be an easy task.

* * *

Azula continued to carry Aang just outside the city, careful to avoid detection. She climbed up a ridge, knowing that just beyond it lay the Water Tribe port and her escape from the North Pole. Suddenly, the sound of a nearby explosion could be heard, and the ground Azula stood on shook.

Furrowing her brow, she quickened her pace a bit. As she reached the top of the ridge, the port came into view as another explosion went off. In the port waters, she could see one of the Water Tribe warships in flames. Fireballs from a fleet of Fire Nation warships pounded against the remnants of the barrier, allowing the Fire Navy access to the port.

Azula recognized the head ship almost immediately. "Zhao," she said under her breath, her voice filled with disgust and frustration. "Now how am I going to get out of here?"

* * *

Zhao barked out orders from his place of command on the foredeck of his ship, which had sliced through the ice barrier.

"Take out all of these ships! Every last one has to be destroyed! The only way these Water Tribe savages are leaving their home is in chains!"

His destruction of the ships ensured that not only would the Water Tribe be unable to fight back on the ocean waters, but they wouldn't even be able to escape once the next phase of the invasion was implemented.

As he watched yet another ship go up in flames, Zhao's eyes caught movement up on the ridge. Grabbing his spy glass, he put it up to his eyes to get a better look.

"Princess Azula. What are you doing out here? And you have someone with you—the Avatar." A cold smile came to his face as thoughts of revenge danced in his head.

He brought his spyglass down as he saw Azula begin to backtrack. There wasn't a moment to lose. "Lieutenant," he said to the man beside him. "Finish the order. I have some unfinished business to attend to."

"Admiral, are you sure that's wise? Prince Zuko expects you to be on hand for the next phase."

"That won't happen until twilight. There's plenty of time before then."

"But, sir, last time you fought her—"

"Did I ask you for your opinion?" Zhao shouted, cutting the other man off. "I am your commanding officer. Do as I say and follow your orders. Finish carrying out this phase, or else."

The admiral's face was hard, and the lieutenant gulped. "Yes, sir."

"Good." His expression didn't soften any. Moments later he was off his ship and giving chase to the girl who scarred his face.

* * *

Aang had made it into the Spirit World, and found himself in an ethereal swamp. After some unsuccessful attempts to find out where the Moon and Ocean spirits were from various beings in the Spirit World, the boy spotted Avatar Roku in his reflection in the swamp water.

"Hello, Aang," Roku said.

"Roku!" Aang replied, delighted to have come across him. Perhaps he could help. "Roku, the Water Tribe is under attack. I need to find the Ocean and Moon spirits."

The reflection of Roku began to solidify then, and the man soon stood before Aang.

"The Ocean and the Moon are ancient spirits. They crossed over from the Spirit World to the Mortal World very near the beginning. There is only one spirit I know of who is old enough to remember."

"Who?"

"The spirit's name is Koh. But he is very dangerous. They call him the Face Stealer."

This information left Aang looking shocked and frightened.

"When you speak with him," Roku continued, "you must be very careful to show no emotion at all—not the slightest expression—or he will steal your face!"

Aang forced the fear from his face and nodded to Roku stoically.

* * *

Azula cursed under her breath as she moved through the snowy banks of the frozen tundra. She could see a blizzard in the distance moving closer to her. _"Where am I going to go now?"_ she thought, slowing her steps. She contemplated going back to the citadel, but the battle was in full swing, so it wouldn't be the most prudent of moves.

Suddenly, her eyes widened as she sensed movement behind her. Dropping Aang onto the snow covered ground, she whirled around just in time to see a fireball coming directly at her face. Acting on instinct, she created a flame with her left fist and brought it in front of her face just in time to absorb the attack.

She heard the unmistakable growl of Zhao as she was met with an onslaught of fireballs. Dropping her body to the ground and ignoring the pain that shot through her right arm at the impact, Azula swept her right leg out, sending out a horizontal arc of blue flames at the man's legs. On the snowy surface, his footing was weakened. Unable to avoid the princess's flames, he was knocked onto his backside.

Azula pushed herself back up, and was immediately on the offensive. She lashed out an the admiral with a fire whip, but he rolled out of the way and propelled himself up to his feet. His golden eyes were filled with anger as he glared at her, and she matched his glare with one of her own.

Fire danced at their fingertips as they charged at one another.

* * *

Ty Lee cartwheeled across the plaza, narrowly dodging a water whip aimed at her and moving closer to the waterbender who wielded it. With two quick strikes to his side, Ty Lee felled the man. She looked up to see ice daggers flying toward her. Her gray eyes widening, she propelled herself up into the air with her powerful legs. One of the daggers caught on her pants, ripping the material.

As she came back down, she saw one of Zuko's Imperial Firebenders blast the man who had thrown the deadly icicles. _"That was close,"_ she thought with some relief. But it was brief.

A group of four warriors charged her then, spears drawn. Leaping forward, she ran up along one of the men's spears and flipped behind him. Before he had a chance to even register where the girl was, he felt three jabs in his back and was down. A determined grin came to her face, as she easily dispatched the other three men.

"_That's at least twenty guys I've taken down so far. The firebenders and soldiers are doing good too. I hope we can do enough to convince Zuko he doesn't need to harm the spirits."_

The acrobat furrowed her brow in concentration, as she sized up her next opponent.

* * *

Aang descended the staircase to Koh's lair beneath a large tree, which was shrouded in darkness. There was no ceiling, only roots above, allowing a few trickles of light to pour, so the boy was able make out where he was going.

"Hello?" he called out. "I'm looking for a spirit named Koh."

The roots above him began to move. Sensing the movement, Aang looked around, but saw nothing. A moment later a white face appeared before him with grey patches around its eyes and luscious, blood red lips, which smile at him. He could see that the face was attached to a huge centipede like body, which arced around him.

Prepared to face this spirit, Aang kept his face emotionless.

"Welcome!" Koh greeted him.

"Thank you," Aang said as he clasped his hands together and bowed.

"My old friend, the Avatar. It's been a long time." His voice was low and soothing, yet carried a hint of danger.

"You know me?"

"How could I forget you!" he replied, changing his face to that of a middle-aged mustached man. "One of your previous incarnations tried to slay me!" he accused, getting up in Aang's face. "It was eight or nine hundred years ago."

"I didn't know that. Why did he—or I—try to kill you?" Aang asked, keeping his face passive.

"Oh..."His face changed to that of a beautiful, flowing haired young woman. "It was something about stealing the face of someone you loved." His face then changed to a curly tailed blue nose as Koh laughed. "Of course, that's all behind us. Why should I hold a grudge against you for something in a past life? After all, you're a different person now." The spirit slithered around Aang, coming up behind him and speaking into his ear, "You've come to me with a new face."

* * *

Zhao's attacks came in rapid succession, alternating between fireballs and streams of fire. Azula quickly found herself on the defensive, and it was all she could do to simply block or absorb the attacks, let alone manage a hit on the admiral. Due to the terrain, some maneuvers, such as fire waves, were ineffective. And frankly, Azula was tiring. She hadn't been one hundred percent when she had gotten to the North Pole, and after her earlier battle with Katara and carrying Aang for well over an hour, she wasn't long for this fight.

The snow around the two firebenders was melting from the heat of their flames, creating slush and an even more difficult terrain on which to fight. Zhao's feet slid as he tried to establish stronger footing to get off his next attack. Azula took the opportunity to let loose a charged blast. The admiral threw up a shield of fire, and quickly followed with a firebomb.

Too slow to block the attack, it hit Azula square in the chest, knocking her back into the slush, soaking her clothes and sending a chill through her body. Having finally gained the upper hand, Zhao pounced on the fallen princess, straddling her waist and grabbing onto her wrists.

"You'll pay for scarring me and for spurning my generosity," Zhao said as he wrenched Azula's arms over her head, causing the girl to cry out in pain. She grit her teeth in an attempt to stifle her pained yell, and her eyes flashed with anger.

Before she could retort with words or fire, the admiral shifted his body, pressing one knee down into her stomach. Azula's eyes widened as she gasped for air. Using one of his large hands to hold onto both of her wrists, his brought the other along her side. Something akin to panic began to well up inside the princess.

She felt heat in his hands began to increase as he leaned in closely, forcing her to look at the ugly, newly forming scar on the man's face. "Let's see you try to breathe fire now," he whispered cruelly as he pressed his knee deeper.


	26. Chapter 26

**Author's Note:** Completely random thought: does Koh remind anyone else of the Merovingian of _The Matrix_ trilogy? Koh is one of the oldest and most dangerous spirits. The Merovingian is one of the oldest and most dangerous programs. And something about the way they speak strikes me as similar.

Anyway, on with the show…

* * *

**Chapter 26**

"It's been a long time since I've added a child's face to my collection," Koh said, his face now that of an owl. "So, how may I help you?"

"I need to find the Moon and the Ocean," Aang replied.

The spirit began to slither around Aang as he spoke. "Their spirit names are Tui and La—push and pull—and that has been the nature of their relationship for all time.

"Please, help me find them. An entire culture could be destroyed if I don't get their help."

Koh's face changes to that of an old man. "Oh, you think you need their help? Actually, it's quite the other way around." Koh suddenly turned toward the boy, his face that of a blue ogre with red eyes and huge fangs. Coming scant inches from Aang's face, he shouted, "Someone's going to kill them!"

Doing his best not to show his emotional turmoil at this realization, Aang closed his eyes to collect himself. Opening them, he then looked up at Koh. "What do you mean? How can I find them and protect them?"

"You've already met them, actually," the spirit replied, flipping back to the white face with red lips. He began to circle around Aang once more. "Tui and La, your Moon and Ocean, have always circled each other in an eternal dance. They balance each other. Push and pull. Life and death. Good and evil. Yin and yang."

Aang's eyes widened as he realized exactly who the spirits were. "The koi fish!" he exclaimed with a smile.

Koh, hearing the emotion in Aang's voice, immediately spun around with his blue ogre face in front of the Avatar, ready to take his face. But the spirit was too late. Aang's face was back to a neutral mask.

"I must be going now."

"We'll meet again," Koh replied as he changed his face to that of a bald man before receding back into the shadows.

* * *

"We've been out here for hours and there's still no sign of them," Katara said worriedly as she looked over the edge of Appa's saddle.

"Don't worry, Katara," Yue said from her seat on the opposite end of the saddle. "We'll find him."

"I'm just afraid that she may have hurt him," the waterbender said. "What if she killed him?"

"Katara, remember what Aang told us about when he was captured by Zhao. The Fire Nation wants him alive. Even if Azula did hurt him, it wouldn't be enough to kill him," Sokka reasoned.

"That still doesn't make it okay." The girl's expression hardened. If _anything_ had happened to her friend, she would make sure Azula paid for it.

* * *

Aang was back in the Mortal World, or so he thought. Seeing his pet lemur sleeping near the pond, he called out to him, "Momo!"

The creature didn't stir.

"Momo?" Aang said quizzically. He looked down at his hands then, and saw that his body was glowing with blue light. Realization dawned on him then. "Oh no! Where's my body?"

The young airbender looked around the spirit oasis frantically, but there was no sign of his body or of Katara or Yue. Someone must have moved his body.

Suddenly a blue ball of energy formed around him before beaming him out of the spirit oasis and up into the sky. Like a comet, his light body soared through the air over the outskirts of the city.

* * *

Katara saw the arc of light flying over Appa, and immediately knew who it had to be. "Look! That's gotta be Aang!"

Sokka then flipped the sky bison's reigns to follow the direction of his friend's light body.

* * *

The young Avatar finally reached his physical body, which was lying in the snow in a small valley between ridges several miles away from the Water Port and at the edge of the wasteland of the frozen tundra. As Aang entered his body, his tattoos stopped glowing. The boy cracked open his eyes only to see snow. A chill went through him due to the cold air blowing around him from the oncoming blizzard. He tried to move, but quickly realized he was tightly bound and gagged. He briefly struggled against his bonds, managing only to turn over onto his other side.

He wasn't prepared for what he saw.

Less than twenty feet away from where he lay, Zhao had Azula pinned to the ground. His right hand was moving down the girl's side, burning away the cloth of her jacket and the layers beneath that covered her. A sick feeling came over him as he realized what the man was about to do.

* * *

A mixture of rage and helplessness shone out from Azula's eyes as the admiral's searing hand continued to roam, exposing her skin to the frigid arctic air. Zhao's sadistic smile grew at the sight of the banished princess at his mercy and the pitiful sound of her gasps for air. He increased the temperature in the hand that gripped her wrists, branding them and causing the girl to let out a yelp as she continued to struggle against him to no avail.

"Get… off… me…" she rasped out.

Zhao chuckled darkly in response before lowering his head to her neck and biting down hard. The palm of his free hand cupped the swell of her left breast, scorching the skin there.

Tears sprang up in Azula's eyes as she hissed from the pain of the burn and the humiliation she felt. At that moment, she'd give anything to get her tormentor off her. The pressure on her stomach suddenly decreased a bit, as Zhao repositioned himself so that he was straddling her hips. His right fist then pressed into her stomach creating another burn, as he moved his head lower, biting down on her collarbone. A fresh wave of nausea coursed through her. She turned her head to the side in an effort to shut out what was happening.

Her eyes met the horrified gray ones of the Avatar. It was obvious to her that he wanted to stop what was happening, but was powerless to do anything at all. It made no sense. He was her enemy. She had captured him, yet just like after the Yu Yan archer had shot her, he had the desire to help her. In that moment, Azula was unable to break her gaze—almost finding some strange refuge there. In this harsh frozen wasteland, powerless to stop the man assaulting her, she found comfort in his eyes. They were so much like Ty Lee's—not just in the color, but the compassion that was so evident.

Suddenly a dark shadow fell between the space separating her and Aang. Seconds later she heard the roar of a sky bison as the beast made landing—sending the snow around his paws flying out.

Instantly, Zhao was off of her, preparing himself for a fight. Azula instinctively rolled onto her side away from the man, curling in on herself and trying to deepen her breath, which still came in shallow gasps. She was too tired to fight, too tired to move. She shivered against the cold and the memory of what happened. Her emotions swirled—horror, anger, outrage, humiliation, and relief—making it hard to know what to feel or think.

* * *

Katara jumped down from Appa's saddle, shocked by what she saw. She had no time to process it, however, as a series of fireballs flew toward her. She easily blocked them by drawing up a wall of slushy snow in front of her, the flames harmlessly dissipating into steam. The waterbender then formed the slush into a ball and propelled it toward Zhao. He crossed his arms in front of him, creating a flame and absorbing the blow—or as much of it as he could. The power of Katara's attack pushed him back, causing his feet to slide through the snow.

The man's face hardened as he glared at her. _"No way am I letting some Water Tribe girl best me in combat. I am the great Admiral Zhao!"_

He formed fire whips in each hand and prepared to strike.

* * *

On the other side of the bison, Sokka worked on freeing Aang from his bonds. Using the blade of his boomerang, he sliced through the cloth that gagged his friend.

"Are you okay?" Sokka asked Aang as he began to cut through the rope that bound his arms, wrists, and ankles.

"I'm fine." His expression was pained. "I… we have to help Azula."

Sokka looked at him like he'd grown a second head. "_Help_ Azula?"

Not wasting any time trying to explain it to his friend, Aang sprang to his feet as soon as he was free, running around Appa with Sokka and Yue right behind him.

They saw Zhao's fire whips sail towards Katara, who was eager to finish this fight. Raising her arms up, she lifted a huge pile of snow up in front of her. The whips harmlessly evaporated. Then, Katara bent the snow, creating a twenty-foot wave, and thrust her arms out, sending the snow wave in Zhao's direction.

The admiral's eyes widened as he attempted to block the oncoming attack with a wall of flame, but it was no use. It crashed into him, sending him flying back hundreds of feet, near the base of the ridge.

Katara's eyes hardened as she watched the man slowly rise.

Knowing that Katara had the fight well in hand, Aang had run over to the princess, who was still curled in on herself. Sokka and Yue stood behind Aang, now realizing what had been happening before they arrived as they took in the sight of the fresh burns on her bare torso.

"Are you alright?" Aang asked Azula, who had finally gotten her breathing back to normal—allowing her to regain a little body heat. She was still shivering, and only partially from the cold air.

With a pained expression, she glanced up at the boy. Her cheeks flushed with shame over what he had just witnessed, and what his companions undoubtedly realized. She was in their debt, and that realization made her distinctly uncomfortable. She clenched her jaw and looked away, glowering at the snow. She hated appearing weak—and right now, she knew she didn't just look it. She felt it.

"Aang," Sokka said quietly as he leaned down closer to his friend's ear. Aang glanced back to see that Sokka was holding Azula's pack. "There's a uniform in here. It isn't much, but…" he trailed off trying not to look at Azula.

"Here," Yue took the uniform top out of the pack and moved closer to Azula. The firebender looked up at the other girl as she knelt down before her. The Water Tribe Princess's blue eyes met the golden ones of the Fire Nation Princess as Yue covered the other girl with the shirt. Not having enough strength to fight back or even pull the garment around herself, Azula could do nothing but let her counterpart help her.

Feeling sheepish, Sokka turned to look where Katara stood and then out to the ridge where Zhao had been tossed back. Across the top of the ridge, he could make out the form of the admiral running off. He didn't stand a chance against a waterbending prodigy in the midst of her element.

"Coward," Katara muttered under her breath before turning to face her friends. Her eyes briefly met her brother's before falling on Aang, who was still kneeling beside Azula with Yue at his side. To her relief, the boy appeared to be completely unharmed, which was more than she could say for the firebender on the ground.

Instinctively, she moved closer to them. She found her motivation was two-fold—wanting to protect her friend and, what seemed oddest of all, wanting to make sure Azula was alright. Katara placed her hand on Aang's shoulder, and he glanced back up at her and smiled sadly. "She has some burns. Do you think you can heal her, Katara?"

Despite everything Azula had done, she couldn't say no. In fact, all she could do was feel pity for the girl before her.

Katara nodded. "I can, but it would be better to do it on Appa's saddle." Her eyes glanced up at the horizon as snow began to lightly fall around them. "That storm is going to be here any minute now."

Aang nodded. "You're right." His eyes widened in remembrance. With everything that happened as soon as he had arrived in his body, Koh's warning had been pushed to the back of his mind. "And we don't have much time to waste. We need to get back to the spirit oasis right away!"

The urgency in his voice wasn't lost on anyone.

"We're taking you with us," Aang said, looking back down at Azula. The firebender didn't even have the energy to resist as the boy scooped her up in his arms, just as he had done when he had saved her from Zhao's wrath before.

With a quick burst of airbending, Aang propelled them up alongside Appa and into the saddle. He then laid Azula down on one of the saddle blankets. The three Water Tribe teens climbed up after them, with Sokka taking the reigns. "Yip! Yip!" he called out and Appa ascended into the sky.

Before Azula could even register the fact that she was flying, Katara was at her side—water pouch at the ready. The firebender tensed, and Katara noticed. "It's alright," she said in an effort to comfort the other girl. "I have healing abilities."

Azula vaguely recalled when she had tracked them near Jang Village. She had overheard Jeong Jeong talking to the girl about that very ability. She nodded her head weakly in ascent, but her eyes were still a bit wary.

"Where are your burns?" Katara asked.

"My wrists and…" Azula's face flushed with embarrassment as she scowled. Katara glanced up and noticed that Aang and Yue had graciously turned away.

Turning back to her enemy, Katara then drew the water from her pouch into her hands, and it began to glow. She brought her hands to one of Azula's wrists. As the water made contact with her skin, Azula could feel her chi flow to the area and mix with Katara's. The princess watched—somewhat awed—as the angry red burn began to fade and the discomfort subsided.

The waterbender continued her work as the western sky began to darken—both from the storm and from the sun's descent.

* * *

Ty Lee glanced up at the sky nervously. It was almost twilight, and the full moon was rising. She could almost curse the short days of winter at the North Pole. Despite her success on the battlefield, it seemed that Zuko had every intention of following through with his plan.

"Phase two of the invasion is almost complete," Zuko said to the group he had assembled for the third stage, which included Admiral Zhao, War Minister Qin, and Ty Lee, among others.

Zuko looked up at the moon and smirked. "Let's move out!" he commanded.

With that order, a line of Fire Nation tanks began moving through the citadel, creating a path for their prince and his team to march through.

As they marched forward, the acrobat couldn't help but notice that Zhao's aura was streaked with muddied red tones. The man was angry, and it obviously had to do with his pride. Ty Lee knew something must have happened during the day's battle. She had a sneaking suspicion that she wouldn't like it.

Of course, there was the larger problem—Prince Zuko was about to kill the Moon and the Ocean Spirits. Ty Lee bit her lip. _"What am I going to do?"_


	27. Chapter 27

**Author's note:** It's a short one this time, but I thought it was a good place to cut it where I did.

* * *

**Chapter 27**

Katara had finished healing most of Azula's burns and was now working on the bite marks that marred creamy white skin. She was still mistrustful of the girl considering that she had kidnapped Aang less than ten hours ago, but she also found herself feeling sorry for her. As her hands moved up to Azula's neck, she found it difficult to avert her eyes from the large scar on the girl's cheek. It was something that she had wondered about with Aang and Sokka. After Aang's return after being captured by Zhao, they determined that her scar might have come from a fight in an Agni Kai, but it was still a mystery to them.

For Azula's part, she kept a close watch on Katara's hands, but she was fairly certain that, at the moment, the waterbender wouldn't harm her so long as she didn't make a move to attack. It was a wonder to her that the very element she fought against was now healing her. Even stranger was that a girl she considered her enemy was helping her. It was rather surreal.

"I think that's everything," Katara said as she bent the water from her hands and back into the pouch. Azula brought her gaze up to meet Katara's and nodded in confirmation. The waterbender then took one of the saddle blankets and drew it up to the firebender's chin, covering her in an effort to ward off the chill. The wind was swirling now from the blizzard that seemed to be following them back to the spirit oasis.

Azula hesitated for a moment, then swallowed her pride. "Thank you," she said quietly.

"You're welcome," Katara replied.

An awkward silence fell between them then. Azula was still tired, but at least the physical pain had subsided. She was glad that she wouldn't bear any physical reminders of what happened with Zhao, although there was something awful twisting in her stomach at the memory. She tried not to think about what would have happened had the Avatar's companions not shown up. And now she was in their debt.

It was something that unsettled her. It complicated things in a way that was irreversible. Her father would think they were fools for helping an enemy and would go ahead and capture the Avatar the moment the opportunity would present itself. That's what was expected of her. But the Avatar had saved her twice regardless of the risk. She didn't understand it.

Just then, Aang turned to look at her.

"Why?" she asked as met his eyes with her own. "Why do you keep helping me?"

"Before the war started, I used to always hang out with my friend Kuzon. The two of us, we'd get in and out of so much trouble together. He was one of the best friends I ever had. And he was from the Fire Nation, just like you," Aang explained. "I can't help but think if we knew each other back then, we could have been friends too."

The answer took Azula by surprise. _"If only it were that easy,"_ Azula thought to herself. _"But that still doesn't really explain it."_

"Well, we're not friends, so why would you help me?"

Aang frowned slightly in response, and Katara huffed in irritation. Azula realized her words came a little harsher than she intended, but before she could think of a better way to say it, Aang started speaking. "Because leaving you to die or worse when there's something I can do about it goes against everything I know to be right," he said.

He offered her a small smile then, but she didn't smile back. With a sigh, Aang turned to lean over the front of the saddle.

Azula stared at the boy's back, while Katara kept a close watch on her. The firebender mulled over what Aang had just said. _"It goes against everything I know to be right."_ She supposed that she would have done the same thing had she been in their position. After all, one of the reasons she bore the scar on her face and suffered banishment was because she spoke out against the slaughter of enemy soldiers for entertainment.

"Aang, we'll be at the spirit oasis soon," Sokka said to the boy. He spoke low enough so that no one else could hear him. "What are we going to do with Azula?"

"I don't know," he replied.

"Look, I know you want to help her, but we can't trust her. We should probably tie her up so she can't firebend. Then we can figure out what to do later."

Aang's brow furrowed as he thought it over. "You're probably right," he finally said after a pause. Something about that just didn't feel right to him, but he really couldn't think of a better option. As much as he wished things could be different between them, the facts were the facts—they weren't friends.

"Take the reigns," Sokka said, detecting Aang's discomfort. "I'll do it."

The airbender nodded and switched places with his friend. Sokka grabbed a coil of rope from his pack and walked over to Azula. Yue and Katara eyed him curiously as he knelt down beside the firebender. Azula's expression hardened as she looked up at Sokka defiantly.

"Sokka, what are you doing?" Yue asked.

"She said it herself. She's not our friend." Azula thought she saw a flicker of remorse in his eyes as he spoke, but that didn't mean she would just let him tie her up.

"Get your hands off me," she snapped, pulling away from him as his hands went to pull her up.

Katara was instantly by her brother's side, both in an act of protection to her kin and to reassure the girl. "Azula, you do understand why we need to do this, don't you? We promise we won't let anyone hurt you."

Azula glared at Katara. She did understand, but she didn't like it. _"I suppose being their prisoner is better than being left out here in the wasteland. And I don't have the strength to fight her right now. I have no leverage at all."_

"Fine," she grit out, her ascent tearing at her pride.

Katara kept her hands close to her water pouch as Sokka moved to tie the rope around Azula's arms.

* * *

With one final burst of firepower, Zuko and his contingent of soldiers and fighters took out the last defense of Water Tribe warriors attempting to block their path. They had finally arrived at the spirit oasis. Another unit of elite firebenders and tanks took up the rear to stop anymore warriors or waterbenders from interfering.

The Fire Nation Prince stepped onto the lush grass of the landing and looked down at the two koi fish in the pond circling each other.

"So these are the great Moon and Ocean spirits?" Zuko asked, not impressed.

"Yes, Prince Zuko," Zhao confirmed.

"And from them the Water Tribe draws their strength and their life," the young man continued as he knelt down. "It's time to bring an end to the Water Tribe once and for all."

Ty Lee stood off to the side, willing her limbs to stay still. She tried to remember what Zuko had told her.

Procuring two pouches from his pockets, the prince then dropped them into the water, scooping up each fish in them, halting their sacred dance.

The sky turned a blood red color, the ocean waters stilled, and Zuko smiled.

* * *

"Ugh," Yue groaned as she grabbed her head in pain.

"Are you okay?" Sokka asked, wrapping his arm around her.

"I feel faint," she said.

"I feel it too," Aang said looking up at the darkened sky. "The Ocean and Moon spirits are in trouble."

"I owe the spirits my life, especially the Moon spirit," Yue said.

"What do you mean?" Sokka asked.

"When I was born, I was very sick and very weak. Most babies cry when they're born but I was born as if I were asleep. My eyes closed. Our healers did everything they could. They told my mother and father I was going to die. My father pleaded with the spirits to save me. That night, beneath the full moon, he brought me to the oasis and placed me in the pond. My dark hair turned white. I opened my eyes and began to cry, and they knew I would live. That's why my mother named me Yue—for the moon.

"We have to save them," the water princess finished.

"I'll do everything I can," Aang said, trying to assure the girl and spurring Appa on even faster toward the oasis.

Katara was suddenly very glad that they had decided to tie Azula up, as she felt her bending ability sapped from her—almost like when she had been struck by Ty Lee—but more frightening. She felt this loss down to her very core. She had no doubt that Aang felt it too, but at least he still had his airbending.

Azula observed the group of teens from her place on the saddle. The initial surge of anger she felt toward them had passed as soon as the sky had darkened. She knew then that her brother had been successful in finding the spirits. Her mind immediately went to Ty Lee, knowing that she was to be with him. She hoped to Agni that her friend was alright.

Azula watched how the Avatar's friends seemed to comfort each other through simple words and touch, despite the obvious anxiousness they felt. She remembered the set of dolls her Uncle Iroh had given her, and what he had taught her about the Water Tribe.

_The doll in the blue and white kimono is from the Water Tribe. Water is the element of change. She is capable of adapting to many things. Her people have a deep sense of community and love that holds them together through anything._

* * *

Out in the citadel, the Fire Nation soldiers began to systematically take out the Water Tribe warriors, who were severely weakened by the disturbance to the Ocean spirit.

Master Pakku could do nothing as the firebenders, chains in hand, closed in on him and his fellow waterbenders—weakened by the disturbance to the Moon spirit—ready to take them all prisoner.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

"Admiral Zhao, now that the spirits have been contained, I want you to finish overseeing the capture of the waterbenders. Kill anyone who resists," Zuko ordered. "I'll finish things up in here."

"Yes, Prince Zuko," the man replied before turning to rejoin his men on the battlefield.

"Captain, bring me the crates," Zuko ordered the leader of his Imperial Firebenders. The man stepped beside his prince and placed two small metal boxes—six inches wide and four inches deep—on the ground. He then opened the tops of them. "Put some water in them. Not too much." He did as commanded, pouring water from his waterskin until there was an inch of liquid in each.

"Good," Zuko said with a nod. He then dropped each koi fish from their pouches into separate crates. The fish flopped on their sides, trying to gather oxygen from the water into their starved gills. The prince watched them for a moment, satisfied, before closing the lids. His eyes glanced up to meet Ty Lee's for a moment. "Relax, Ty Lee," he said with a dark chuckle. The girl offered him a weak smile in return.

Zuko then tucked the boxes into his small pack, which he swung underneath his black cloak. Just as he came to stand, the roar of a sky bison echoed in the chamber of the spirit oasis. He and his entourage looked up to see Aang on the head of Appa, who came down on the left landing.

"Well, well. I was beginning to wonder if you would show up, Avatar," Zuko said to the airbender with a smirk. "I thought maybe you had run away again."

Aang's face hardened as he jumped off Appa's head. "I'm not running," he said, as his friends climbed down after him.

Up on the saddle, Azula lay on her side, struggling against her bonds and out of sight from those on the ground. She was tired and run down, but her only thought was of the immediate need to free herself from the ropes that bound her wrists. She managed to generate a small flame in her palm, which slowly burned through the rope.

Down on the ground, Sokka stood protectively in front of Yue and Katara, who still could not bend. Momo, who had been in hiding since the arrival of the troops, jumped up on the waterbender's shoulder. She scratched him behind the ears in an attempt to not only reassure the lemur, but calm her own nerves.

Aang took a few steps over the bridge and looked over at the pond only to find it empty. "Where are the Moon and the Ocean?" Aang asked, trying to keep the desperation out of his voice.

"They're alive," Zuko replied. "For now."

Aang tensed. "What have you done with them?"

Zuko smirked. "Prepared them for their end. They made a mistake crossing over into the mortal world, and not only will they pay the price for that decision—so will the Water Tribe."

"Please don't," Aang pleaded. "If you kill the Moon and the Ocean, it won't just hurt the Water Tribe. It will hurt the Fire Nation too."

Zuko appeared to consider his words. "Tell you what," he said. "I'll spare their lives if you surrender. Otherwise, I will kill them."

Aang glared at the prince. It was a lose-lose situation. Sokka, Katara, and Yue knew it too.

"Fine," he agreed with a heavy heart, offering himself.

"Aang, no!" Katara yelled out, the fear of losing her friend causing her to call out to him. Knowing there was nothing she could do tore at her.

"This is the only way," he said, glancing back at his friends sadly. "I'll be okay." He shared a significant look with all three of them—a profound sadness filling them all.

"There's no hope now," Yue whispered, grabbing onto Sokka's arm. He wished there was something he could say that would prove otherwise, but it appeared that the girl was right.

Zuko smiled as he reached out to grab the boy, who didn't put up a struggle. His eyes then caught movement behind the bison. _"What is that?"_ he thought. A moment later, he recognized the unmistakable form of his younger sister coming out from the shadows. _"What is she doing here?"_ From the way she walked, it was obvious to him that she was far from one hundred percent. His attention then turned back to his captive.

Azula, who had heard every word exchanged between Zuko and Aang as she escaped her bonds, looked across the landing. She saw Ty Lee standing off to the side, her attention locked on the scene before her. Her friend had not spotted her, but she appeared to be okay. Any relief that would have come with that realization was completely erased by the sight of her brother taking hold of chains from his captain to bind the Avatar.

"No…" she whispered angrily to herself. Despite knowing that she was in the boy's debt, he was still her only chance to regain her honor—and that chance was now slipping from her. She couldn't bear the thought of living in exile for the rest of her life.

"Looks like the glory will be mine, Azula," Zuko said suddenly, his golden eyes finding his sisters' as his lips curved into a smirk.

"What glory?" she gritted out. "You said yourself that Father wanted Fire Nation soldiers doing much more important things than hunting the Avatar. You even called Zhao off the chase!"

Aang looked at Zuko in confusion. Ty Lee, surprised to see Azula in the oasis, looked between the siblings worriedly.

"I lied," he said with a shrug, a cold glint in his eyes. Azula felt her temper flare. Suddenly, it became painfully clear to her what Zuko had been gunning for all along. "Of course, my primary goal was to conquer the Northern Water Tribe," Zuko continued, enjoying the reaction he was getting out of his sister, "but the Avatar is still public enemy number one in the Fire Nation. And now he's mine. Looks like you're never coming home." The prince turned to fasten the shackles he was holding around Aang's wrists.

Azula's eyes narrowed at her brother's form as she clenched her jaw. Desperation flooded her, and the anger that had been rising up in Azula exploded then—the stress and emotions of everything that had happened in the last few weeks finally spilling over. Acting out of pure rage, she let loose a stream of fire at Zuko's back.

The prince felt the heat of Azula's blue flames coming toward him, and turned to block the attack. He absorbed the fire, but the force of the girl's attack sent him stumbling back into Aang, who fell toward Ty Lee. He had yet to be chained up, and Zuko wasn't about to leave anything to chance.

"Hold onto him and block his chi!" he barked out to the acrobat, as he angrily pushed himself up to his feet, glaring at his sister.

Acting on instinct, she did as she was told, wrapping one of her powerful arms around Aang and delivering two swift strikes to his back, paralyzing the boy. He let out a soft cry as his dead weight collapsed into her completely. Ty Lee then looked up to see Azula charging her brother from across the bridge, only to be cut off by a dozen of Zuko's guards. She was immediately met by a stream of fire from the firebenders. Worry didn't even begin to describe what Ty Lee felt at that moment. She knew almost nothing good was going to come of this.

Azula threw up a wall of flame, absorbing the attacks of the firebenders. Her emotion fueled her bending, which would have otherwise been too weak to take on firebenders of such a high caliber. Even so, she was outnumbered, but that didn't register with her. For Azula, there was only rage and fire. At that moment, she wanted to make her brother hurt like she had been forced to.

* * *

Chief Arnook and his wife stood together at the top of the palace steps with a group of two dozen Water Tribe warriors standing before them, offering what little protection they could. Looking across the citadel, the chief was filled with hopelessness as he watched his proud warriors, now weakened, ruthlessly slaughtered on the battlefield by Admiral Zhao and his soldiers. They were not going down without a fight. The waterbenders, completely unable to bend, were easily overpowered and chained up. They were marched out of the citadel and onto the Fire Nation warships.

"Chief Arnook," one of the head warriors attempting to protect him called out. "You must find a way out of here."

"I am not leaving my tribe," he said.

"What about Yue?" his wife asked worriedly.

"Sokka will protect her," he said, hoping that he would be able to do it and get her to safety.

* * *

Shooting off a firebomb at the guard immediately before her, Azula landed a hit at the man's chest, knocking him back into the pond. She kicked her leg out, releasing an arc of flame at the legs of the next two men in her path, sweeping them out from under their feet. Another guard shot off a fireball at her head. Azula ducked and the blazing ball missed, landing on the wooden bridge behind her.

The bridge caught on fire, filling the oasis with smoke. Ty Lee dragged Aang backwards away from the fray and the smoke, praying that somehow Azula would be the victor.

Knowing that Aang was Azula's only chance to ever return to the Fire Nation—although at this point, even she was beginning to wonder the wisdom in such a desire—Ty Lee whispered discreetly to the boy, "You have to get out of here. Zuko's not going to kill the spirits. He knows what will happen to the world if he does. He was just bluffing in order to capture you."

Something in Ty Lee's tone made Aang want to believe her. He couldn't think of any reason why the girl would lie to her, and he got the sense that she was in tune with the spirits. Unable to move his body due to the paralysis, he replied quietly. "Okay."

"Everyone's distracted. Get your friends to attack me, and I can let you go."

The three Water Tribe teens had been moving toward the back of the chamber, trying to avoid breathing in the smoke. As they moved along, Sokka spotted Ty Lee standing with Aang in her arms. They were both looking pointedly at them. "Come on," he said quietly, grabbing onto Yue and Katara's hands and moving closer to where Ty Lee was.

"Attack me," Ty Lee said.

"What?" Sokka asked, confused.

"Just do it, Sokka," Aang urged him. "Now."

Raising his club, Sokka landed a hit on Ty Lee's upper arm. She let out a yelp, momentarily drawing Zuko's attention. Azula heard it, but couldn't afford to look away. She had to stay completely focused on the men she was fighting.

The prince saw Sokka grab Aang before landing a kick to Ty Lee's gut as she made an attempt to stop the warrior. The acrobat fell back, clutching at her stomach as the Water Tribe teens ran toward Appa with Aang in tow.

Zuko growled in irritation, but as far as he was concerned, Ty Lee had done nothing wrong. She had only been beaten by that warrior. "Stop them!" he shouted to his guards. "I'll take care of the traitor myself," he finished, turning his gaze onto Azula and removing his cloak.

Now, it was just brother and sister.

* * *

The guards gave pursuit to the group of teens, who were now climbing up onto the sky bison. As the firebenders came into firing range, Appa growled and exhaled a large gust of air, sending them flying into the pool behind them, which soaked them.

"Yip! Yip!" Sokka called out as Katara and Yue laid Aang down in the saddle, and the bison lifted himself up into the sky.

Momo chittered sadly as he looked down at Aang. "Are you alright?" Katara asked him.

"No," Aang said, sadness filling his voice. "But at least the spirits are safe. Ty Lee told me Zuko never intended to kill them," he explained. "But there's nothing I can do to help the Water Tribe. I can't bend. I can't even move." A tear slipped down his face.

"We have to find my father," Yue said tearfully.

Sokka spurred Appa on toward the palace, hoping there was _something_ that could be done.

* * *

"I'm not a traitor, Zuko," Azula spat.

"You attacked me from behind as I was taking the number one enemy into custody. I'd say that's treason," he retorted.

Zuko then jabbed his fist out, releasing a fireball. Azula blocked it with her forearm and countered with a fireball of her own. He met it with a blast, causing Azula's flames to harmlessly dissipate. They went back and forth like this for several minutes, matching each other fireball for firbeall, neither gaining the upper hand.

Azula grit her teeth, pushing through the fatigue that was starting to settle in, and tried to up her attack. She began to volley firebombs at her brother. He ran toward her then, dropping to the ground just before the flames were about to hit him. As he went to the ground, he thrust his legs out, send a huge wave of flame toward her.

Azula watched the fire coming toward her, but her legs felt heavy. She tried to jump out of the way, but it was too late and not enough to avoid the attack. The flames struck her, licking up her legs and knocking her to the ground.

Before she could recover, Zuko was upon her, fire dagger to her throat. Zuko's guards had finally pulled themselves out of the water and surrounded the siblings, ready to strike the girl down if necessary. "Guess you will be coming home after all," Zuko said with a cruel smile before raising his fist and striking the side of Azula's head, knocking her unconscious.

* * *

As they approached the tops of the palace steps, the gang was able to make out the carnage that had taken place within the city. Katara felt sickened at the sight as Yue buried her head in her hands. Sokka did his best to maintain his composure—to be strong for the group. Aang knew from their reactions that the situation in the city was grim.

"Chief Arnook," Sokka called out to the man as they made landing.

"Sokka, where is my daughter?" he asked, running to meet them with his wife right behind him.

"She's here," he replied as Yue looked down at her parents.

"Thank the spirits," he said. "Where is the Avatar?"

"He's here too," Katara said. "He's been paralyzed, but otherwise he's unharmed."

The chief nodded. "Listen, you must leave the North Pole with the Avatar immediately. This battle has been lost. Live to fight another day and keep our Princess safe."

"But what about you?" Yue cried out.

"We will stay here with our tribe."

"No! You can't stay. You'll die."

Arnook didn't say anything for a moment. He felt the emotion welling up in him, thinking it would get the better of him. He shook his head. "Perhaps, but you still must leave. Fly to General Fong's base in the Earth Kingdom. There you will be safe."

* * *

Ty Lee watched broken hearted, as an unconscious Azula was dragged out of the spirit oasis in chains by two of Zuko's Imperial Firebenders. She wanted so badly to stop it from happening—to take down Zuko and his guards and get Azula out of there. But even if she were to get Azula away from them, there was nowhere to take her—not in the cold, unforgiving tundra of the North Pole.

"Ty Lee," Zuko said, looking pointedly at the girl. She turned to look at him, swallowing the lump in her throat to suppress the tears that threatened to fall. "I suggest you remember where your loyalties lie. Azula is now a traitor to the Fire Nation."

The acrobat nodded, but her feeling of distress only grew.

* * *

Dawn had arrived, and Zuko and the Fire Nation had finally laid claim over the Northern Water Tribe. All the waterbenders had been shackled and locked into the holding cells within the warships. The women and children had also been captured. Most of the warriors had been killed—although a few key ones, namely Chief Arnook and the teen who had tried to lead a failed assassination attempt on the prince, had been captured as well. Zuko was looking forward to delivering the chief to his father. And of course, there was his traitor sister.

With victory in hand and Arnook as his insurance—literally using the man as a shield—Zuko released the two koi fish back to the pond of the oasis, causing the moon to reappear in the sky and the ocean waters to move once more. The spirits were greatly displeased by what had happened, but could not retaliate without inadvertently harming the people of the Water Tribe as well.

Making his way to his ship, Zuko smiled smugly to himself. At the brink of the broken fortress wall, the prince met his troops.

"This siege has been a testament to the greatness of the Fire Nation! We are the greatest nation in the world!" he declared. "Today, the Northern Water Tribe has finally fallen!"

The soldiers cheered loudly in celebration, and in the distant sky—miles away—a sky bison flew, carrying the last free waterbenders left in the world.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

_Fire Lord Ozai,_

_I hope that this letter finds you well._

_I am writing to let you know that our invasion of the Northern Water Tribe was a success. The battle was won in only three days time. Admiral Zhao's information about the spirits proved to be correct, and by capturing them, we were able to gain a quick and decisive victory. Every single member of the tribe has either been eliminated or imprisoned._

_As planned, Commander Yao and a fleet of warships will remain in these waters now that this is officially Fire Nation territory._

_Admiral Zhao will be overseeing the transport of the majority prisoners to the newly built concentration camps on Jian Island. The desert and ample sun should crush their spirit if it hasn't been already. _

_Unfortunately, not all the news I have to tell you is good. Just as our intelligence reports stated, the Avatar was here at the North Pole. However, the banished Princes Azula was here as well. She prevented me from taking the Avatar as prisoner by attacking me from behind. The Avatar was then able to escape, but I did manage to capture Azula. She is among the prisoners on my ship. I will personally be delivering her to you in the capital along with Chief Arnook._

_After that, if it meets with your approval, I would like to assemble a small, elite team to track the Avatar down. He is the only thing that stands as a truly potential threat to the Fire Nation's complete conquest of the world._

_I should be arriving home in a month's time. Until then, if you need to reach me, send a messenger hawk my way._

_May you live long and burn brightly._

_Your Son, Prince Zuko_

Zuko finished re-reading his letter, rolled up the scroll, placed it in its black-ribbon case, and attached it to his messenger hawk. "Deliver this message to the Fire Lord in the capital," the prince ordered.

The bird squawked in acknowledgement before lifting off from his perch and taking flight. Zuko watched after him until he was nothing but a black speck in the afternoon sky.

He turned his attention back to the half destroyed citadel of the former Northern Water Tribe. It was a shame that the North Pole itself was too cold for the Fire Nation to colonize. Still, controlling its waters was worth a lot. The Fire Nation was closing in on the Earth Kingdom from all sides now. _"It's only a matter of time."_

* * *

Azula woke to a throbbing pain in her left temple. Groaning, she cracked open her eyes and immediately regretted that decision—a wave a nausea coursed through her at the slight movement. She closed her eyes and tried to focus on her breathing. It helped a bit. After a few moments, the nausea passed, but the pain did not.

Slowly she became more aware of the rest of her body. From what she could gather through her other senses, she was laying on a cold metal floor and wearing a thin short-sleeved tunic and pants made out of the same thin material. _"A prison uniform,"_ she realized with a mental grimace. It was confirmed by the feel of cold metal of shackles around her wrists and ankles and the weight of the chains that fastened them to walls of the cell. The chains weren't pulled taught though, allowing her some movement. There was a gentle rocking motion beneath her. With a feeling a despair, the banished princess realized that she was in the prison brig of a warship.

It was difficult to think with the pain in her head, but soon she remembered how she had ended up there and the last face she had seen. _"Zuko."_

He had called her a traitor, and now she was being brought back to the Fire Nation with those charges hanging over her head. She shuddered to think about what her father would do once she got home. She knew she was as good as dead. _"Maybe if I'm lucky, my execution will be quick."_

She couldn't even find it in herself to feel angry about it. She was resigned to her fate.

* * *

In the woods of the Northwestern Earth Kingdom, four weary and downtrodden teens had finished making camp. They had traveled the entire night and most of the morning, trying to put as much distance between themselves and the fallen Northern Water Tribe. They had hoped to reach General Fong's base, but soon it became apparent that Appa needed rest and so they stopped in a relatively safe spot.

Most of the trip had been made in silence, everyone lost in their own thoughts. Finally, after the sleeping bags had been laid out and the campfire set up, Katara went about preparing a meager meal from their limited supplies. It consisted only of some broth which she heated up over the fire and a loaf of bread.

"I'm sorry, this is all we have," she said, ladling the warm broth into their small bowls. Katara then handed two bowls to Sokka along with half of the bread. Sokka's stomach grumbled in protest, but he didn't say anything to voice his displeasure. After all, it wasn't his sister's fault they were in this situation. He brought the food over to the other side of the campfire and pressed one of the bowls into Yue's hands.

"Here, you should eat something," he said to the girl who was obviously upset.

"Okay," she replied quietly and began to sip at her broth. Sokka did the same.

On the other side of the fire, Katara was trying to do much the same for Aang as Sokka had done for Yue. Aang stared into the fire, barely even noticing the food Katara had laid out in front of him.

"Aang, you have to eat," Katara said.

"I can't. I feel sick to my stomach," Aang replied with a frown as he stared into the flames.

Sensing his owner's distress, Momo jumped onto the boy's shoulder. The airbender absently scratched him behind the ears. Katara laid a comforting hand on her friend's back. "Please eat something, Aang. For me." She placed a piece of bread in his hands.

"Okay," he said with a sigh, biting into the food she had offered him.

It had taken Aang several hours before he had regained full use of his limbs. Even still, he knew his chi wasn't flowing completely right. It was a poignant reminder of his failure to save the tribe.

A sniffling sound broke into the Avatar's thoughts. He looked up to see the princess trying to hold back tears.

"Hey," Sokka said, wrapping his arm around Yue's shoulders.

"I can't believe my home is gone. It's all gone," Yue said tearfully as she clung to Sokka. "My family, my people…" the girl trailed off, and Sokka pulled her closer in an attempt to comfort her. The princess buried her head in his chest.

"I know what it's like. Most of our home has been destroyed too," Sokka said sadly. "Only the Fire Nation systematically raided our tribe and weakened it that way. I'm not sure which is worse. Losing it all at once or watching it be taken from you throughout your entire life."

Sokka glanced up across the fire and caught the eyes of his sister and Aang, who were watching the two of them. The compassion was clearly evident in Katara's eyes, but Aang's held a touch more sadness and something Sokka had never seen in them before—complete and utter defeat.

"I wasn't there when the Fire Nation wiped out all of my people," Aang said. "When I found out what happened to them, I was upset with myself. A part of me felt that if I hadn't run away, I could have stopped it from happening. I could have saved the Air Nomads."

All eyes were on him as he continued on. "But I doubt I really could have. I couldn't save the Water Tribe, and the Fire Nation didn't even have the comet fueling their power. I'm supposed to stop them before the comet comes at summer's end, but I just don't see how it's possible."

"It's not over yet," Katara said firmly. "We're still alive. The Fire Nation may have won the battle for the North Pole, but they haven't won the war."

"But how am I supposed to stop them?" Aang said, turning his wide gray eyes on the girl. "It takes twelve years to master the other elements besides air. I just started learning waterbending, and now I don't even have a teacher anymore! They took Pakku," he finished sadly.

"I know," Katara said, tears coming to her eyes as she recalled some of the private teachings she had received from the man. Their connection was an intense and special bond. "But you can still learn waterbending. From me. I'll teach you, Aang."

There was a somewhat hopeful gleam in his eyes now. "Thank you, Katara," he said with a slight smile.

She pulled him into a strong embrace then, and he held on, allowing himself to be filled with the hope that seemed to flow from Katara.

* * *

Ty Lee had managed to sneak down to the prison brig of Zuko's ship without drawing any unwanted attention to herself. There weren't many prisoners onboard so as a result, there weren't too many guards stationed in this part of the ship. However, there was one guarding the cell that Ty Lee knew held the prisoner she was looking for. The guard looked to be in his late teens with an average height and build. _"Nothing remarkable at all about his looks,"_ Ty Lee thought as she approached him.

"Hi," she said, flashing him a coy smile.

"What are you doing down here?" the guard asked, turning his full attention on her, his brown eyes widening a bit at the sight of her. Ty Lee saw the faint blush that crept up his neck.

"Oh, I just wanted to check on the prisoner." She lowered her head a bit so that she was looking up at him through her lashes.

"I'm afraid I can't permit that. Prince Zuko said that the prisoner is to remain under watch at all times."

"Oh, but please, I promise not to cause any trouble," she said, turning her head on one side, and placed a hand on his forearm. "I just want to make sure she's okay and then I promise I'll go. You can stay right here."

"Alright… well, if that's all you're going to do, then I don't see a problem with that," he said smiling at her sheepishly.

"_Boys! They're so easy,"_ Ty Lee thought, mentally rolling her eyes. "Thanks!" she said with a smile. The guard stepped aside letting Ty Lee pass through the door of Azula's prison cell.

Something was twisting in Ty Lee's gut as she entered. She was afraid for Azula, and being down here just made it all the more real. And then she saw her—her friend shackled and chained and lying on the floor of the cage she was held in. Ty Lee let out a gasp at the sight as she dropped to her knees, hands gripping onto the bars.

"Azula," she said.

There was no response. Ty Lee looked at Azula's aura and bit her lip. She had never seen it like this—everything about it was wrong for Azula. It was almost as if there was nothing there.

"Azula," she said a bit louder this time.

The firebender groaned in response.

"It's me. It's Ty Lee." The acrobat looked at Azula's face intently. It was obvious that she was in pain.

"Ty Lee?" came the weak reply. The former princess cracked open her eyes to look at her friend.

"Are you alright?" she asked worriedly.

"No," Azula admitted, sounding thoroughly defeated. "I'm not. I'm tired, Ty Lee. I'm tired of fighting. Nothing ever seems to work out."

"Azula, please don't give up. You never give up."

"Why? My father will have me killed when I get home. It's over."

"It's not over yet," Ty Lee said determinedly. "I'm not giving up on you."


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

Early the next morning, the gang began the remainder of their journey. Aang was in better spirits due to Katara's reassurances and willingness to help him continue his waterbending training. Sokka continued to be Yue's pillar of strength. Because of this, the princess found that she wanted to be strong for the group too, and tried to focus on the present and what could hopefully be done for the future. Like Katara had said, the war wasn't over yet. There was still hope.

By late afternoon, they arrived at General Fong's base—a large, white, circular fortress built into the mountains of the Earth Kingdom. At the center of the fortress was a tower five stories high.

"Look, there it is! We finally made it guys," Sokka said, pointing at the structure ahead. From his spot atop Appa's head, Sokka could make out a small group of men waving at them from the tower's top, indicating where the sky bison should land.

Moments later, Appa made landing. Aang hopped down from the saddle using his airbending to soften his landing. Before him stood a large bearded man wearing brown and green armor, as was customary in the Earth Kingdom. Behind him stood a dozen men in nearly matching uniforms, although it was clear that he outranked them.

"Avatar Aang," he greeted the boy, taking a deep bow. "It is an honor. I am General Fong."

"It's nice to meet you, sir," Aang replied with a bow of his own. "These are my friends, Sokka, Katara, and Princess Yue," he added, gesturing to the three teens, who were now standing behind him.

The general's eyes widened a touch. "We heard about what happened to the Northern Water Tribe. I am sorry for your loss," he said to Yue. "But rest assured that you are safe here."

"Thank you," the princess replied graciously.

He brought his eyes to rest on the others. "I was about to ask you what we owed to the pleasure of this visit, but I think I can safely assume that you're seeking shelter here."

Aang nodded gravely. "We would appreciate it."

"It's no trouble. You can stay as long as you need to. For now, the guards will show you to your rooms. There you can rest and wash up. Dinner will be sent up in a few hours. Once that's settled, I'd like to meet with you all. There are some things I think we should discuss."

* * *

Later that evening, after freshening up, changing into lighter clothes, and eating a warm and hearty meal, the four teens were led to the main hall of General Fong's base. The man was seated behind a large desk at the end of the room when they arrived.

"Thank you for coming," he greeted them. "Please have a seat." He gestured to the cushions laid out in front of his desk, indicating where they should sit.

Aang sat in the center with Katara taking a seat at his left. Sokka and Yue settled down at his right. They looked up at the general expectedly.

"What would you like to talk to us about?" Aang asked the man.

"We've all heard the stories of what the Avatar is capable of—Avatar Roku practically destroyed the Fire Nation capital city as a warning to Fire Lord Sozin and Avatar Kyoshi quelled Chin the Conqueror's uprising. They did it single-handedly by summoning unbelievable power."

"They entered Avatar State," Aang said.

"Yes, the Avatar State," the general said with a nod. "Why didn't you enter it at the North Pole?"

"It's not really something I can control. I've done it a few times, but I don't know how to get in or out of it, or what to do once I'm there. It's almost like it's just a reaction. But at the North Pole… I had my chi blocked and so I was physically unable to enter it, let alone bend."

"I see," Fong said, stroking his beard thoughtfully for a moment. "Avatar Aang, time is running out. If the world is to stand a real chance at stopping the Fire Nation from total conquest, you need to enter the Avatar State. It's the only way to defeat the Fire Lord."

"But how am I supposed to do that?" he asked. "I have no idea how to get into the Avatar State."

"That's what I'd like to help you figure out."

"Alright," Aang nodded in agreement. Yet, something about going this route didn't feel right to him, but he couldn't put his finger on what it was.

* * *

After the meeting, Yue and Sokka decided to go for a night walk around main grounds of the fortress. It was relatively peaceful, as most of the soldiers had retired for the night. Only earthbending guards were stationed along the fortress walls—completely silent, almost as if they were part of the stone themselves as they watched for any potential threats.

"How are you holding up?" Sokka asked, the concern he felt evident in his voice. He stole a glance at the girl to see that she seemed less distraught than she had the day before.

"I guess I'm alright, all things considered," Yue said, looking over at him as they continued to walk. "I'm still coming to terms with what the Fire Nation has done, but if I'm the only free member of my tribe, I need to be strong. You've helped me to do that." She reached out and grabbed the boy's hand, causing him to blush slightly. "Still, I can't believe how much things have changed. My life has completely flipped upside down in such a short time. And a week ago, I thought that I was destined to be trapped in a loveless marriage, never to leave my home. And now…" she paused in her steps.

"Now?" Sokka asked hopefully, turning to face her and taking both of her hands in his.

"Now I'm with a person who makes me feel things I've never felt before—who makes me feel like I belong and like I can make a difference. Like I'm important." Yue released Sokka's hands and brought them to cup his face. "And I want to make him feel the same way."

Yue leaned in and pulled Sokka's head down, pressing her lips against his. Sokka murmured happily in response as he wrapped his arms around the Water Tribe Princess, drawing her closer.

* * *

Prince Zuko lay comfortably on his stomach as a servant went to work on massaging his tired muscles. This kind of pampering made being away from the Fire Nation more bearable, but he was eager to return home. He thought of how proud his father would be at all he had accomplished. Yet, he knew there was still a lot to be done. The Avatar was still at large and the great Earth Kingdom strongholds of Ba Sing Se and Omashu were still free. And Ozai would expect nothing less than perfection from him. This he knew.

His mind wandered briefly to his imprisoned sister. If he were honest with himself, he felt a touch of pity for her, but not enough to overcome the anger and jealousy he had toward her. If not for her, the Avatar would have been his. Then there was the fact that she was still better than him when it came to firebending. She could wield the cold-blooded fire, and still he could not. Despite what Ozai had tried to teach him about emotional detachment, there was always something tugging at the back of his mind. Some unknown emotion just lurking beneath the surface that made it impossible to generate lightning. _"It doesn't matter,"_ he tried to assure himself. _"You were still able to beat her."_

The servant's fingers suddenly hit a particularly tight spot, pulling Zuko from his thoughts as he groaned appreciatively into his pillow. "That's the spot," he mumbled. Skilled fingers continued to kneed the muscles there until they gave way to total relaxation.

His thoughts began to wander again, this time to his wife, Mai. Despite what some people thought about it being a purely political move to marry the girl, he really did care for her, and he got a secret thrill whenever he could make her genuinely smile. More than anything else, he looked forward to seeing her again.

* * *

Admiral Zhao sat in his private quarters mulling over his future plans. He and his fleet had departed from the conquered Northern Water Tribe yesterday, setting a course to Jian Island in the northern island chain of the Fire Nation. The trip so far had been without incident.

Upon completion of delivering the Water Tribe prisoners, the Fire Lord would be granting him a month's leave as a reward for a job well done. And yet, he couldn't help but feel like what should have been his crowning achievement had been greatly diminished. Ever since he had discovered the scrolls that revealed the mortal identity of the Moon and the Ocean, he had dreamt of conquering the Water Tribe. His own ambitions had led him to keep this information to himself for a long time, since when he ranked as a lieutenant and later a captain, there wasn't much to be gained. He wouldn't be in the position to lead such a siege.

However, once he had been promoted to the rank of commander, he knew it was time. He shared what he knew with Fire Lord Ozai in order to get permission to lead an attack against the Northern Water Tribe, but instead his leader had seen him fit to hunt the Avatar. Zhao had jumped at the chance, the glory to be gained from capturing him far outweighing that which would have been gained from conquering the Water Tribe.

Yet, very little had gone the way he would have liked since then. The banished princess had refused his advances and, later, his generous offer to team up. He knew she couldn't compete with him—he had dozens of warships under his command. Still, she had steadfastly refused, and it had angered him greatly. It had then become a matter of pride, and his pride had certainly suffered a beating.

To top things off, Prince Zuko had called him off the chase, and both the Avatar and the banished princess had slipped through his fingers. Being promoted to Admiral had helped some—he now had an even larger fleet under his command—yet he couldn't help but feel some bitterness over it now.

Through the grapevine, he had learned of what had happened in the Spirit Oasis after Zuko had dismissed him. It seemed the prince had thrown him off track so that he could be the one to capture the Avatar.

He could feel the beginnings of resentment toward Prince Zuko. Still, it was nothing compared to the likes of which he resented the banished princess.

His eyes caught his own reflection in the mirror that hung on the wall across his cabin and the ugly scar on his face. His jaw tightened as his anger flared. That was Azula's fault. He had yet to pay her back for it, having been thwarted by the Avatar's friends while in the midst of exacting some revenge. However, it now appeared unlikely that she'd ever see the light of day once she got back to the Fire Nation should the Fire Lord decide she should live. But should Ozai spare her life, Zhao decided he would certainly pay her a visit.

* * *

Ty Lee entered the prison brig of Zuko's warship. She had decided to visit Azula again, determined to somehow cheer her up. The conditions she was in certainly weren't conducive to a positive outlook, but in all the years Ty Lee had known the firebender, she was always able to eventually get Azula to smile.

The acrobat wasn't stupid. She knew the situation was direr than any other the girl had been in before, but she also didn't think it did any good to dwell on the negative. Unfortunately, she was at a loss for what to say, and nothing at come to her by the time she arrived there. At least she had come up with something good to bring her friend.

With some relief, Ty Lee noticed the same guard was stationed outside her cell as yesterday. "Hey, cutie," she greeted him with a flirtatious smile.

"Hey," he replied, offering a shy smile of his own.

"Would you be a sweetie and let me into the prisoner's cell?"

"Sure," he replied with a slight blush, allowing her entry.

"Thanks," she smiled again with a wink before slipping inside Azula's cell.

Ty Lee took in the sight of her friend as she sank to her knees. Azula was laying on her side, her back toward Ty Lee. From what the acrobat could see, there was still no change in her aura.

"Hi, Azula," she said as cheerfully as she could. "It's me again."

The firebender shifted in response, slowly pushing herself up to sit. She turned so she could rest her back against the wall and face the other girl. Her golden eyes rested on the acrobat. They lacked the fire they normally did.

Resolutely ignoring that fact, Ty Lee smiled encouragingly at her. "How are you feeling? Does your head still hurt?"

"Not as much as before," Azula replied.

"That's good, right?"

"I suppose," Azula shrugged.

"I brought you an ocean kumquat. I know how much you like them." Her smile never wavering, Ty Lee then procured the small fruit from her pocket and extended her arm through the bars, presenting it to Azula.

Ty Lee saw something flicker in the firebender's eyes before the other girl dropped her gaze to the floor. There was a flash of pink followed by dark blue in Azula's aura.

"I know what you're trying to do, Ty Lee," Azula said quietly. She looked back up at her friend, and Ty Lee could see some emotion back in those amber eyes. "You said you aren't giving up on me, but you should. If my brother finds out you've been visiting me, who knows what he'll do."

"I don't care. I'm not about to forget about my best friend and let her go through this alone."

Azula stared at Ty Lee for a few moments, a mixture of gratitude and disapproval coming through. Azula looked like she wanted to say something, but wasn't sure how to say it. Finally, she settled on a simple, "Thank you."

Ty Lee just smiled at her. "Now, do you want your ocean kumquat or not?"

Azula allowed a small smile to grace her lips as she reached for the gift Ty Lee held.

* * *

_Aang was outside the Southern Air Temple. All he was aware of was a sense of urgency. He was running—was it from something or toward something? He paused to look around before running inside the temple._

_Once inside, he came to a room with a large brown curtain. Drawn to it, he walked closer and pulled it open. As he entered the room, the ceiling collapsed. Nervousness coursed through Aang. At the far end of the room, he spotted someone. His eyes widened in surprise at who it was. It was him, but _not_ him._

His double then turned to look at him, his eyes and tattoos glowing a bright blue color. Aang gasped as those eyes filled with rage and passion bore into him. The double then formed an air sphere around himself. Wind suddenly began to blow, quickly increasing in its violence and intensity.

_Aang suddenly became aware of two other figures lying on the ground and attempting to shield themselves from the wind attack—Sokka and Katara. He was powerless to help them._

_Aang's double then slammed his hands together, sending out a bright light that enveloped him, Sokka, and Katara. Before he could even process what was happening, Aang was blasted with a powerful burst of wind, throwing him backward._

_And then he was falling._

_Aang yelled out, the panic growing in him as his arms flailed, trying to grab onto anything he could to no avail._

_The floor of Avatar Roku's temple suddenly broke his fall. Aang landed hard on his back, yet he felt more shock than pain. Before he could scramble to his feet, the temple doors before him opened, once again revealing his Avatar State double encased in an air sphere. Glaring at Aang, he opened his mouth and shot fire from it. He then struck out with his hand in a slicing motion._

_Aang screamed and held up his hands in front of him in an effort to protect himself._

"Aang. Aang, wake up!" Katara said, shaking her friend.

His eyes shot open, his breathing hard as he adjusted to being awake. Slowly, he came up to sit in his bed, and Katara sat down beside him.

"I heard you yelling from next door," she explained quietly. "You must have been having a nightmare. Do you want to talk about it?"

Still feeling unsettled, Aang nodded. "I was in the Avatar state, but I was outside my body watching myself. It was scary." He paused. "_I_ was scary."

"Are you sure you want to go this route, Aang? Trying to trigger the Avatar State?" Katara asked, sensing his discomfort.

"No, but I don't know what other choice I have. Like the general said, we're running out of time. If I can somehow end the war now, I need to do whatever it takes."


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

Aang lay in his bed, staring up at the ceiling. It had been another long day of trying to bring on the Avatar State. So far, nothing had worked. It was frustrating to say the least.

The first day, one of the instructors that taught at Fong's base had tried giving him a rare chi-enhancing tea. In ordinary benders, it increased energy ten-fold. The thinking was, since Aang was the Avatar, it might trigger the Avatar State.

He had felt a rush of energy a few minutes after consuming the beverage. It felt incredible, but he ended up in a perpetual state of motion, and the next few hours were spent doing all kinds of airbending moves and attempting to engage in conversation. He couldn't seem to keep his attention on any one thing for long, but he was pretty sure at the time that he hadn't entered the Avatar State.

Afterward, he had crashed hard from his high and felt extremely irritable. He spent the rest of the evening alone in his room as the last of the herbs left his system. Even so, his sleep wasn't particularly deep.

The second day, they had attempted some unorthodox methods. His friends first tried shocking him into the Avatar State. Sokka had stuck Momo inside his tunic so that the lemur's head was in place of his own while Katara covered his eyes. It had gotten a laugh from Katara and Yue, but no Avatar State.

Later, they had tried hypnosis. _"Focus on the problem with the Fire Nation,"_ the hypnotist had told him as he entered a trance-like state. All that had done was bring up memories of his childhood—days of visiting Kuzon in the Fire Nation. He remembered all of his encounters with Azula and Zhao. He remembered his failure at the North Pole.

Again, he had retired to his room, exhausted.

"_Ugh, my mind feels all scrambled from everything,"_ he had said to Momo, who had been sitting on the floor, munching happily on some litchi nuts. The lemur had chittered in response.

"_I wonder what happened to them,"_ Aang had thought. He hadn't had much of a chance to think about Azula or Ty Lee, and even though neither of them had acted to actually help him, their actions had allowed him to fight another day. His last thought that night was thinking it was too bad things couldn't have been different between them.

The third day—today, in fact—the general had thought to try ritual to invoke the Avatar State. A priest had been summoned, and Aang had been dressed in a piece of ceremonial clothing from each of the bending nations. Standing in the center of the room while his friends and the general stood by, he watched as the priest began the ceremony. He took each of the four elements, blessed them, and then brought them together as one. Aang was then doused in the resulting substances.

"_This is just mud!"_ Aang had exclaimed.

"_But do you feel anything?"_ the priest had asked, and everyone looked at him with varying degrees of anticipation.

Aang had then sneezed, but still, no Avatar State.

Aang sighed. "I wonder what other ideas the general has," Aang said, absently patting Momo, who was curled up asleep on his belly.

A knock on his door pulled him from his thoughts. He sat up, moving Momo onto his pillow. His door opened, revealing Katara.

"Hey," she said. "Can we talk about something?"

"Sure." Aang scooted over on the bed to make room for Katara. The waterbender took a seat beside him. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Do you remember when we were at the air temple and you found Monk Gyatso's skeleton?"

Aang nodded with a frown. It wasn't a time he liked to think about.

"It must have been so horrible and traumatic for you. I saw you get so upset that you weren't even you anymore. I'm not saying the Avatar State doesn't have incredible—and helpful—power. But you have to understand, for the people who love you, watching you be in that much rage and pain is really scary."

"I'm really glad you told me that, but I still need to do this. Every day, more and more people die. I'm already a hundred years late. Defeating the Fire Lord is the only way to stop this war. I have to try it."

"I know, Aang. I'm just worried for you, that's all." She wrapped her arm around his shoulder, and he instinctively rested his head against hers.

"Thanks, Katara."

They sat together like that quietly for awhile longer, eventually parting ways to get some much needed sleep.

* * *

_Aang stood on the foredeck of a small Fire Nation warship that moved through a narrow river with icy cliffs on both banks. Suddenly, the center of the deck exploded, and he saw himself in the Avatar State, encased in an air sphere. He soared up into the sky, before turning down toward the ship and glared at Aang. His doubled then landed on the deck and raised his arms, gathering massive amounts of water from either side of the ship. Sending his arms forward, he shot out a huge water whip at Aang, striking him in the chest._

_Aang screamed as the force of the impact sent the airbender flying back, knocking him overboard. He managed to grip onto the railing before falling into the freezing water._

_Pulling himself up halfway, he saw Azula standing on deck. His Avatar State double had his attention locked on the firebender. She briefly assumed a defensive stance before thinking better of it. She turned to run. Mercilessly, Aang's double launched a huge water blade at her._

Aang awoke with a start, springing up to sit in his bed. The feeling of fear and helplessness of being at the mercy of such raw power was still with him from his dream. _"I think this is a sign that I shouldn't be trying to bring on the Avatar State like this,"_ he realized. _"I'll tell everyone in the morning."_

* * *

Azula had been awake for what she thought to be a few hours. It was hard to determine the passage of time, and if it had not been for Ty Lee's visits, she would have no clue at all. Besides her one meal per day, which never came at regular intervals, it was really the only way she could tell how long she had been locked in this cell, seeing as she was completely cut off from the sun, and she was unable to tell when the guards changed shifts.

Every day since she had been thrown into this cell, Ty Lee had visited her. _"Five days,"_ she realized. _"Today will be the sixth. In twenty-three days, I'll be home."_

Azula shook her head. She didn't want to think about what was in store, but it was difficult to avoid. _"I hope Ty Lee comes soon,"_ she thought, looking through the bars of her cage toward the locked door.

When Ty Lee was there, it was easier to focus on the present. She had urged her not to give up, and Azula could plainly see that her friend hadn't given up on her. As much as she wished that things could be different, she just didn't think there was any realistic chance of things turning out alright. But she knew she at least owed it to Ty Lee to try to be good company during her visits. After all, her friend had gone into a self-imposed exile in order to help her regain her honor.

"_Honor,"_ she thought disgustedly. What did it even mean to her anymore? Did she ever even have it to begin with?

"_Honor is not something that ever needs to be defended."_

And again, those words of her Uncle Iroh came back to her. Those words which she had tried to understand for years, yet still couldn't make sense of.

Azula sighed and pulled her legs into her chest, resting her forehead against her knees. She didn't want to dwell on the past either. For the most part, it was unpleasant. She had spent so much of her life suffering at the hands of her father, and yet, still—even now when he was most likely going to condemn her to death—she wanted his approval. She wanted what Zuko had.

Now she was finally beginning to accept the fact that she would never get it. It hurt. It hurt to think that her father and brother would be glad to be rid of her. The only ones who cared what happened to her were Ty Lee and Mai.

"_Well, that's not entirely true,"_ she admitted to herself with some reluctance. For whatever reason, the Avatar seemed to care what happened to her.

It was something she had thought about a lot since being locked up here. He had helped her more than once, despite the fact that she had been hunting him—the Fire Nation's greatest enemy helping the princess of the Fire Nation. _"Maybe it's just because I'm banished,"_ she mused. _"Maybe if I were still in line for the throne, he would have left me to Zhao's mercies." _Her body tensed in anger at the thought of the man. _"But I wouldn't have needed the Avatar's help then, because Zhao wouldn't have dared lift a finger against me if I were still the crown princess."_ It disgusted her that he was the first person to ever kiss her, and the first person to ever touch her intimately, albeit violently.

Azula shuddered at the memory. Katara may have healed the burns and other marks he made on her skin, but the memory was burned into her mind. She hadn't known it was possible to feel so much anger and rage toward just one person. As much as she tried, she couldn't let it go.

* * *

Prince Zuko stood in the control tower of his ship overlooking the vast ocean ahead of him. There were clear skies and not a hint of what the scroll in hands indicated.

"Admiral Liang has just sent word that there is a massive typhoon in the Suimen Ocean, and it's heading north," Zuko stated, somewhat irritated. "Right toward us."

The prince's helmsman looked at him, alarmed. "A typhoon?"

"Yes. Several of Liang's smaller warships were capsized before they were able to make port."

"Wendu Harbor isn't too far from here," the helmsman noted. "About 120 miles to the southeast, Prince Zuko. We could arrive there in five hours."

As much as Zuko wanted to get home as soon as possible, there wasn't really any rush. At most, this storm would set them back a few days. "Let's bring these ships inland and weather out the storm. Set a course for Wendu Harbor."

* * *

Ty Lee walked out onto the foredeck of Zuko's ship, looking to get some fresh air and clear her head. She stood at the side of the ship, leaning against the railing and watching the distant shores of the Earth Kingdom. But she wasn't really taking in the scenery. Deep down, she was worried about Azula.

When her friend had been defeated by Zuko and taken captive by his guards at the North Pole, she had wanted to help, but knew she'd just end up getting herself and Azula killed at the time. Somehow, she hoped things could work out well. But when she had first gone to visit Azula, the stark reality of what would be facing the firebender hit her—there was a very good chance Azula was going to be executed. Ty Lee knew time was running out.

"_She doesn't deserve this,"_ the acrobat thought. The last year had been eye-opening for Ty Lee to say the least, especially the last few months. Seeing everything Azula had struggled against in an effort to regain her honor made her wonder if it had been worth it. And the battle at the North Pole—witnessing the horrors of warfare up close—had taken its toll on her psyche. She tried to remain optimistic, but it was getting harder. The one thing that kept her going right now was being there for Azula. _"I have to be strong for her."_

"Good morning, Ty Lee," Lieutenant Jee's voice broke into her thoughts. She looked up to see the older man standing to her left, gazing down at her somewhat seriously.

"Morning, Jee," she replied with a half smile.

"I haven't seen you since the battle ended up north," he said. "How are you doing?"

"Fine, I guess," she replied with a shrug. "How are you?"

"Not too bad. It's been awhile since I fought in battle like that—not since the Siege of Ba Sing Se when I served under General Iroh. Fortunately, this one was quick, and we were victorious." He paused, lowering his voice, which took on a note of sadness. "At least, most of us were."

Ty Lee bit her lip, looking back out across the ocean, but said nothing. They stood there quietly awhile longer before Jee spoke again.

"I just heard from Prince Zuko that we'll be making port soon."

"Oh?" Ty Lee asked, somewhat surprised. "How come? Zuko said we'd be traveling non-stop."

"Seems there's a big storm coming," he replied.

Ty Lee glanced up toward the control tower. She could make out Zuko's imposing form looking out over the sea. _"Remember where your loyalties lie,"_ he had warned her. Her mind's eye flashed to Azula, shackled and chained and locked in a cell below her feet. All her life, she had been taught to be loyal to the Fire Nation first and foremost, but that was now in direct conflict with what was in her gut.

"Hey, Jee!" one of the soldiers across the deck called out. "Want to spar for a bit? We won't have a chance to do any firebending once we get caught in the rain. Might as well get our work in now, right?"

Jee nodded at the man before looking back at Ty Lee. "Would you care to join us?"

Ty Lee shook her head. "No thanks. I'm going to relax in my cabin for awhile."

The lieutenant smiled at the girl as they parted ways, but Ty Lee's mind was already in motion. _"'We won't have a chance to do any firebending once we get caught in the rain,'_ _that soldier said,"_ she thought as she walked back toward her cabin. She realized this was Azula's chance, and her determination grew.

* * *

It was late morning when the gang gathered with General Fong and his men in the main hall. Everyone was seated as they had been during their very first meeting here. A heavy rain was falling outside.

"I don't think it's a good idea to be bringing on the Avatar State like this," Aang informed everyone.

"What, why not?" Sokka asked, as everyone except Katara looked at the airbender with total surprise.

"I've been having visions that are telling me that it's just too dangerous right now. It's too much power that I have no idea how to control."

"I don't get it. You've saved yourself and us quite a few times by going into the Avatar State. What's the harm?"

"It's a power that I don't understand at all. By being so out of control, I could kill someone."

"Aang's right," Katara said, nodding her head and definitely feeling relieved that Aang was pulling up the reigns on this. "There's a right way to do this: practice, study, and discipline. Aang still hasn't even mastered all four elements."

"It may be dangerous," General Fong interjected. "But we don't have time to wait for the Avatar to waste his time mastering the elements. Every day more and more people die because of this war. Only half of the Earth Kingdom remains free—the Fire Nation has conquered every other part of the world. You saw first hand what they did to the Northern Water Tribe. We need all the power that he possesses and we need it now," he finished with an emphatic fist hitting his desk. His eyes narrowed in scrutiny of the four teens in front of him. There was a palpable tension in the room now.

"That may be true," Yue spoke up, recalling how her father would try to settle disputes between the various men in her tribe. "But who knows better than the Avatar what the right course of action is."

"That's right," Sokka agreed, before rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Maybe there's another way to for Aang to learn it in a controlled way. Aang, you said it yourself that Avatar Roku is supposed to teach you about how to be the Avatar. Do you think he could teach you about the Avatar State?"

This seemed to calm everyone in the room, especially the Earth Kingdom general, down a bit, and Aang wondered why the thought hadn't occurred to him before.

"I don't know, but it's worth a shot, and it's a lot safer than what we've been trying to do," Aang replied, a note of relief in his voice. "I'd have to go to the Spirit World to talk to him. I have to be someplace where there's a lot of spiritual energy in order to cross over."

"The highest mountaintop in the world, Mount Shinsei, is in this very mountain range, about 20 miles to the east. Shamans of the past used to take pilgrimages there," the priest said. "It is the place where the sky and earth first touch and is considered to be a place of strong spiritual energy. Perhaps you will find your way to the Spirit World there."

"My men and I can provide you with an escort if you'd like," General Fong stated. "Although the Fire Nation hasn't infiltrated these mountains because few people actually inhabit them. We can leave as soon as the storm passes over."

"What do you think, Aang?" Katara asked, searching the other boy's face.

"Let's do it," he said with a determined nod.


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32**

As the sun disappeared below the horizon, rain began to fall in the northwestern Fire Colonies. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and the waves of the sea grew more tumultuous. A row of Empire Class Battleships lined the shores of Wendu Harbor.

Most of the soldiers from Zuko's fleet had departed from their vessels and were beginning to settle into the various inns of Wendu Harbor. It was a colony port—nestled between the coastline and the densely wooded forests of the Earth Kingdom—that was designed for soldiers and sailors stopping for a respite, and they had anticipated Prince Zuko and his fleet's arrival. Zuko himself had already settled into the most luxurious of quarters available with his Imperial Firebenders stationed near every exit.

Ty Lee had lingered on the ship during that time. She had slipped below deck and watched from a storage room while Chief Arnook, Hahn, and several other high-ranking warriors were escorted one-by-one from the brig to the prison holdings in the harbor. Ty Lee knew that there was just one more prisoner to be brought out.

A group of six soldiers walked down the hall toward the brig. Ty Lee waited until they passed and then slipped out from her hiding place, trailing them down the steps to the cells below.

* * *

Azula heard a sudden commotion outside her cell, followed by the sounds of bodies dropping to the floor. Seconds later, her cell door opened, revealing Ty Lee holding a set of keys.

The firebender stared at her, completely stunned for a moment, as the acrobat unlocked the door to her cage and got down on her knees, clearly intent on freeing her from her bonds. "Ty Lee, what are you doing?"

"I'm getting you out of here," Ty Lee said, releasing the shackles that bound Azula's ankles.

"You can't," Azula said with wide eyes. "You'll be accused of being a traitor too."

"I know," the acrobat replied as she continued to work. "And I don't care. You said your father was going to execute you, and I'm not leaving you to die, Azula." With those words the shackles on Azula's wrists were released. Ty Lee stood up and held out her hand to the other girl, pulling the firebender up to her feet.

Azula opened her mouth to argue, but held back when she saw the look Ty Lee gave her. She recognized it—the one the acrobat used when she would not budge. Azula knew better than to try to talk sense into Ty Lee. It would be a fruitless endeavor, and it was too late now anyway. Ty Lee had already acted.

"And just how are we going to get off Zuko's ship anyway?" Azula asked as she gingerly moved her arms and legs before stretching out her muscles. It felt good to be out of the restraints to say the least.

"There's a typhoon, so Zuko stopped at Wendu Harbor," Ty Lee explained, tugging on the firebender's arm and leading her out of the cell. "These men were assigned to take you off the ship and bring you to a prison holding on land," the acrobat finished, gesturing to the paralyzed men at their feet as they walked past them.

Suddenly, it all made sense. Azula understood why Ty Lee was acting now. Aside from actually being close enough to land to make a run for it, firebenders would be seriously weakened in such wet conditions. But that also included her. Still, she wasn't completely inept in hand-to-hand combat. Azula plucked a knife off the belt of one of the fallen guards just in case before running out with Ty Lee.

The two girls moved quickly and quietly through the ship. The vessel was relatively empty now, so they didn't face any obstacles getting to the gangplank. However, once they reached the mouth of the lowered bowsprit, it became obvious that it wouldn't remain that way for long.

A dozen soldiers were stationed there, waiting for the last prisoner before locking up the ship. They certainly weren't expecting to see said prisoner walking freely.

"The traitor princess. Just where do you think you're going?" their commander asked snidely as he caught sight of Azula and Ty Lee. "You'll never get past us," he spat, dropping into a firebending stance.

The fight was on.

Ty Lee ran down the gangplank as several soldiers with spears charged her. Just as the point of their blades were close enough to strike her, she sprung onto her hands, flipped over their heads, and landed behind them. A flurry of fists struck at various pressure points, knocking them all down. She eyed another group and smiled. They had all seen her fight at the North Pole, and they knew what that smile meant. With a quickness they couldn't anticipate, she launched herself into the fray.

Azula stayed on the gangplank, the prow of the ship above her providing coverage from the falling rain. She shot streams of fire out from her fingertips, immediately putting the men she faced on the defensive. She followed up with waves of fire from her feet, breaking their footing. Then she ran, launching firebombs from her fists and knocking out each guard she faced systematically.

And almost as quickly as the fight had started, it was over.

The two girls now stood at the end of the gangplank, fallen soldiers left in their wake. The rain was coming down much harder now, and the wind began to whip around them.

"We've got more company," Ty Lee said worriedly, looking over at the edge of the town. Less than a thousand feet away was a fast approaching Zuko with a contingent of soldiers.

Azula's eyes darted around the area and spotted a trail leading into the forest. "Let's go!" the firebender shouted as she grabbed Ty Lee's hand and ran toward it, with Zuko and his men in hot pursuit. Already having a good distance between themselves and their pursuers, the wet conditions worked to their advantage as the firebenders were unable to get off any sort of effective attack—their flames fizzled in the rain.

After running into the forest, Azula spared a glance behind her to see her brother coming to a stop at the edge of the trees. She could make out the sounds of her brother's angry shouting, ordering his men to not come back without the traitors. How she hated being called that, and now Ty Lee would be called one too. But now wasn't the time to think about that. Survival and escape were the only things that mattered.

Adrenaline pumped through the girls' veins as they continued to run through the darkened forest, doing their best to keep their footing on the wet surfaces with little light—provided only by flashes of lightning from the storm—to guide their way. The underbrush of the forest hit against their legs—at times slowing their pace or threatening to make them stumble—but they didn't dare stop until they were certain they had thrown Zuko's men off their trail, taking several twists and turns in an effort to elude them.

Finally, after running for a good half hour, their clothes soaked and muddied and hair plastered to their skin, Azula slowed her steps. Gasping for breath, she grabbed onto Ty Lee's sleeve to stop her. "I think we've lost them," she said in between pants, pulling the other girl under a tree in an effort get out of the rain. Ty Lee was breathing hard too, and they leaned into each other for support as the rain continued to fall around them. Azula knew they weren't completely safe yet.

"We should keep moving," Azula finally said once she caught her breath. "We need to get out of this storm and put more distance between ourselves and Zuko's soldiers if possible."

"Okay," Ty Lee agreed, her voice tired. Her large grays eyes looked up to meet Azula's, and it was then that it really hit Azula what the acrobat had done. Ty Lee had thrown her life as a Fire Nation noble away—branded herself a traitor—all to help save her life. It made Azula feel both extremely guilty and grateful all at once.

Saying "thank you" seemed inadequate given the situation, but her eyes said everything words couldn't. Ty Lee smiled at Azula in understanding. "You don't have to say anything, Azula," she said.

Still, Azula felt she should say something. "I…"

Loud booming thunder interrupted Azula. _"Now isn't the time for this, we have to get out of here,"_ Azula thought, shaking her head.

"We'll talk later. Come on," Ty Lee said, and the two girls walked back out to the forest trail and continued on, doing their best to ignore the chill from the cool air mixed with their wet clothes.

They trudged along an eastern path for several hours, looking for some place they could find shelter. The wind and rain became less severe as the night went on, much to their relief. Finally, as the rain let up completely, they reached the outskirts of an Earth Kingdom village.

Ty Lee was visibly shivering by this point. For her part, Azula was able to keep her internal body temperature up with her firebending, but the wet clothing was extremely uncomfortable. She knew they needed to find shelter and soon. As they continued to make their way into the village proper, it was obvious that everyone had turned in for the night—smartly staying indoors in this poor weather.

"Look, Azula, there's an inn," Ty Lee said pointing toward a building at the end of one of the streets.

Azula shook her head and looked pointedly at her prison uniform and Ty Lee's clothing. "We can't. Look at the way we're dressed. We're obviously Fire Nation."

"Oh yeah, good point," the acrobat said dejectedly.

The firebender's eyes scanned the rest of the street before landing on a small stable. "Come on, Ty Lee." The acrobat dutifully followed her.

As Azula expected, the door was locked. She took the knife from her pocket and began to pick the lock. After a few minutes, it came loose, and she pulled the door open carefully, not letting her guard down for a second as she stepped inside. Azula formed a small flame in her palm to illuminate the stable. Ty Lee slipped in behind her and closed the door.

The two girls carefully looked around. It wasn't too large—big enough to house six ostrich horses at most. There appeared to be two animals sleeping in the two of the stalls. Another stall contained feed, and several stacks of hay were spread out around the stable. Along the walls were various tools, bridles, saddles, and saddle blankets. Azula grabbed two of the blankets.

"Here," she said, handing one to Ty Lee. The girl's teeth were now chattering from being so cold. "We need to get out of these wet clothes before we get sick. Then we can warm ourselves up with the blankets."

Ty Lee nodded, pulling her mantle off of her shoulders. "Are we going to stay here?"

"I don't know where else we can go," Azula said as thunder rumbled in the distance and the patter of raindrops hitting the roof started up. "It's starting to rain again, so we shouldn't go back outside. We can probably hide out here, at least for the rest of the night. We could easily hide behind the stacks of hay without being noticed."

Without waiting for a response, Azula began to strip out of her wet clothes. Ty Lee graciously turned away, knowing from their days at the Academy together that it bothered Azula to be seen undressed due to the scars that marred her skin. It saddened Ty Lee a bit every time she caught a glimpse of them. A chill ran through her, bringing her mind back to the current situation at hand. The acrobat then removed the rest of her own damp clothes before wrapping herself in the warm saddle blankets.

Ty Lee turned back around to see Azula had done the same and was now laying her wet clothes and shoes across the top of a haystack in one of the stalls. The acrobat followed suit with her own belongings. They then settled down to sit across from each other, resting their backs against two stacks of hay. Exhaustion began to creep in as they attempted to warm themselves up. It was quiet for awhile, both girls too tired to speak.

"I wish you could make a fire," Ty Lee finally said as she curled in on herself, trying to get warmer to no avail. "But I know we can't do that in here."

Azula looked at her friend sympathetically. She had it much easier as a firebender—rarely did she ever get cold—with the exception of prolonged exposure to freezing temperatures at the poles. The last thing she wanted was for Ty Lee to get sick.

"I can't make a fire, Ty Lee," she said, an idea coming to her then, "but I can share my inner fire."

The acrobat looked at her with equal parts relief and confusion. "How can you do that?"

A sudden blush crept up Azula's neck. "Um, well, you'd have to get close enough to me to absorb my body heat," she said.

Ty Lee, sensing Azula's sudden nervousness, smiled in an attempt to calm the other girl down. It worked, and Azula felt herself relax. "Thank you, Azula," she said before moving closer to the firebender. Still wrapped in her own blanket, Ty Lee settled under the other girl's blanket, her back reclining against Azula's torso. The former princess wrapped her arms and her blanket around Ty Lee and poured all of her warmth into the other girl.

It felt comforting to just be like this with each other after everything that had happened over the last few weeks. _"She's all I have left,"_ Azula realized. _"And I'm all she has left too."_

As they continued to sit together, the acrobat's shivering slowly ceased. Ty Lee let out a contented sigh, as her muscles began to relax from the increased temperature.

"Better?" Azula asked.

"Yeah, thanks," Ty Lee said, but she made no attempt to move. She was way too warm and comfortable now and wasn't about to give that up, and the firebender didn't mind.

"It's the least I can do," Azula replied. She hesitated for a moment. "You didn't have to do this, Ty Lee."

Ty Lee suddenly turned her body in Azula's arms so that she was facing the firebender. That look of stubbornness was in place. "Yes, I did." Her voice was quiet, but firm. "I have no regrets. I know I did the right thing. I couldn't stand by and do nothing when there was something I could do to save you."

Emotion threatened to overtake Azula then, and she squeezed her eyes shut, her fingers unconsciously gripping onto the blanket that covered Ty Lee. The fact that she even needed to be saved from her family's wrath still upset her, but the fact that she had someone like Ty Lee who acted so selflessly for her was unbelievable. Finally, Azula opened her eyes—amber orbs glistening—and spoke. The words were filled with raw emotion. "Thank you, Ty Lee."

"Your welcome," Ty Lee said softly, the emotion evident in her voice as well. The girl offered her a smile, and the intense emotion began to recede.

"We should get some sleep," Azula said finally.

"You're right," Ty Lee replied with a slight night. Seconds later, she yawned. "I am sleepy." She smiled at Azula and nestled a little closer to the girl, gently rested her head against the firebender's shoulder as she closed her eyes.

Realizing that Ty Lee had every intention of using her as a pillow, Azula stared down at the top of her friend's head for a moment, a small, affectionate smile coming to her face. "Goodnight, Ty Lee," she murmured, letting her head drop back against the hay behind her as she closed her eyes.

"Goodnight, Azula," came Ty Lee's sleepy reply.

Within moments, the two Fire Nation girls were fast asleep, exhaustion finally taking them over completely.


	33. Chapter 33

**Author's Note:** It's been awhile, huh? Let's see how long I can stick with this story before life distracts me again.

* * *

**Chapter 33**

It was almost dawn when Zuko's men arrived back at Wendu Harbor, soaked and empty-handed. They knew their prince would not be pleased, but they had lost Azula and Ty Lee's trail and were unable to pick it up again in the darkness and foul weather.

They arrived to find Prince Zuko waiting for them at the entrance to the port's town with several soldiers alongside him. He was obviously unhappy—arms folded across his chest and a frown on his face—when it was clear that his men had failed in their task.

"I thought I told you not to come back without the traitors," he growled at his captain as they approached.

"We were unable to stay on their trail with all the rain—"

"I don't want to hear your excuses!" he shouted, interrupting the man. "Take the komodo rhinos, get back out there, and find them!"

His captain gulped and bowed. "By your will, Prince Zuko."

* * *

Azula cracked her eyes open as the first rays of the sun trickled in through the small windows of the stable. She inhaled, feeling her chi strengthen as it resonated with the sun. As she exhaled, a puff of fog was released into the cool air. It was obviously still very cold, but she didn't feel it at all. And it wasn't just because of her inner fire.

She was suddenly aware of the warmth pressed against her and glanced down to find Ty Lee still fast asleep, curled up against her. The previous night's events then came rushing back, and Azula's ears immediately perked up for signs of life. From what she could gather, the ostrich horses were still asleep in their stalls, but she wasn't sure how much longer that would be the case. Ty Lee shifted in her sleep, drawing Azula's attention back to her. _"I should wake her up. Even though we're hidden, who knows when someone will come in here."_

"Ty Lee," she murmured, gently shaking the other girl. "Ty Lee, wake up."

The acrobat's gray eyes, filled with sleep, cracked open and stared up at her in confusion. Azula's lips quirked a bit, as she knew her friend wasn't much of a morning person.

"We have to get going soon," Azula said quietly.

"Okay," Ty Lee agreed, bringing her hand up to rub her eyes, but refusing to move just yet from her warm spot. "Where are we going?"

"I don't know yet. We just can't stay here. Zuko's men might still be trying to find us. We should try to put more distance between us and them."

"Do you really think they'd come into an Earth Kingdom town?"

"Yes, I do." She glanced over at their still drying clothes and sighed. Walking around in wet clothes would be uncomfortable at best and conspicuous at worst, but the fact that they were clearly Fire Nation would only draw unwanted attention. Azula knew discretion was key. "We need new clothes. Preferably something Earth Kingdom," she said somewhat distastefully. "But definitely something warm. And dry."

"And how do we do that?"

"Find a shop, I suppose," she replied with a shrug.

Ty Lee was silent for a moment, her eyes growing wide with worry. "I don't have any money with me, Azula," she finally said. "I can't believe I left the ship without it."

"It's okay. Don't worry about it. We'll figure out some way to get money later. I left some of my supplies at Jang Village, so maybe we can try going back there." This seemed to calm the acrobat down. "Besides, I didn't really plan on us walking through the front door," she finished with a smirk.

Ty Lee looked at her, slightly confused.

"The less people who know we're here, the better. We'll just take what we need."

"Okay, whatever you think is best, Azula." Ty Lee's eyes and voice were filled with trust—a trust that Azula wasn't really sure her friend should be placing in her after how badly things had turned out at the North Pole. Despite it all, Ty Lee's faith in her never seemed to waver.

* * *

Zuko paced in his quarters, his boots thumping angrily against the wooden floor. The storm had passed and his fleet was ready to depart. All they were waiting on was their prince, and he was waiting on his men to return with his traitorous sister.

"I should have seen this coming. Ty Lee was always loyal to Azula," he muttered to himself. "Father won't be happy that Azula got away. If only I hadn't informed him in the letter I sent him." He paused in his steps and let out a frustrated sigh.

A knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts.

"What is it?" he barked.

"Your highness, your letters have just arrived for you," came the voice of his head servant, Rei.

Knowing that only messages of utmost importance would cause anyone to interrupt him at a time like this Zuko quickly opened the door to reveal the servant, who held up a tray holding two scroll cases wrapped in black ribbon. The prince took them and waved away the man, who respectfully bowed before taking his leave.

Once inside, he quickly removed the scrolls from their cases and examined the seals. One was from the Fire Lord. The other was from Mai. Unable to resist, he set aside his father's letter and eagerly broke the seal on his wife's scroll. He had sent her a letter shortly after departing from the North Pole. He had been careful to leave out the part about Azula. Despite it all, Zuko suspected that Mai still cared about Azula, even if she pretended not to. Regardless, he had wanted his homecoming to be a pleasant one for both himself and Mai.

_Prince Zuko,_

_Congratulations on your victory over the Northern Water Tribe—the first of many to be sure._

_As I'm sure you have heard, General Kanzo was successful in his siege against the stronghold of Omashu, and it is now under Fire Nation control. My father has been appointed governor by Fire Lord Ozai, and my family is honored by his generosity._

_Mother has asked me to accompany them to help get things in order. In your absence, the Fire Lord has given me his blessing. So, unfortunately, I will not be in the capital when you arrive home, but on my way to the Earth Kingdom._

_Hopefully, we won't be apart for long. I look forward to your next letter, and even more to when I will see your face again._

_Your wife,_

_Princess Mai_

A slight frown came to Zuko's face as he finished reading it. He actually hadn't yet heard of Kanzo's victory, but he was sure he would receive word from the general soon enough. The fact that he would miss seeing Mai during his short stint at home lowered his spirits a bit, but he understood. _"Duty calls."_

He set Mai's letter aside and picked up the scroll from his father.

_Prince Zuko,_

_I am proud of what you have accomplished in the name of the Fire Nation in conquering the Northern Water Tribe. You have proven yourself worthy of your role as prince to this great nation._

_The news of your sister's treachery does not surprise me, and she will be punished accordingly. It's unfortunate that she was never able to live up to her potential as you have._

_However, this news of the Avatar's escape concerns me. I would like you to return to the continent and find him as quickly as possible. Send for whoever and whatever you need for your elite team, but all troops will be put on high alert._

_As for the prisoners in your possession, transfer them to one of your commander's ships in order to bring them to the capital. I know you wished to deliver them to me yourself, but we cannot take the risk of giving the Avatar extra time. I expect your capture of him will be swift and that you will return home in no time at all._

_Fire Lord Ozai_

The letter finished with an extravagant flourish of his father's signature.

"_Well, that make things somewhat easier, especially in light of Mai's letter,"_ Zuko thought to himself, as the wheels started turning about how he would assemble his elite team. Yet he still wasn't fully satisfied. _"But what am I supposed to do about Azula and Ty Lee if my men don't find them? I need to get after the Avatar, especially since I'll have competition." _From a practical standpoint, he understood why Ozai would put the military on high alert, but he didn't like it. He wanted the glory for himself.

He had a brief mental image of Azula returning home with the Avatar. The throngs of people chanting her name. The disappointment in his father's eyes—just like when he had been unable to bend lightning when it was discovered that his sister could.

Zuko shook his head. _"Don't think like that. There's no way she can compete with me or anyone else in the military. I'll just have to make sure Azula and Ty Lee aren't free for long."_

His eyes fell on the blank parchment on his desk.

"Rei!"

Seconds later, the man entered the prince's room. "Yes, your highness?"

"I need wanted posters made up for the traitors. Distribute them to every Fire Nation settlement and even still free Earth Kingdom villages and cities. There will be nowhere for them to hide," he finished with a dark smile.

"By your will, Prince Zuko," the man said with a bow before turning to carry out his bidding.

"And, Rei."

The servant stopped and turned to look at the boy questioningly.

"Send Commander Lee up here. I need to discuss the prisoner situation with him."

* * *

"It looks like this place hasn't opened up yet," Ty Lee said, peering into the back window of a small clothes shop.

"Then let's be quick about it," Azula replied, glancing around to be sure that no one was looking.

It was still early, and most people were still in their homes. It was too cold for the farmers and only a few people had ventured onto the street. Azula and Ty Lee had easily avoided being seen so far. They had reluctantly changed back into their damp clothes but kept the saddle blankets from the stable along with a few other supplies. They took comfort in knowing they wouldn't stay in them for long.

Certain that the coast was clear, Azula moved over to the back door and, using the knife she had taken from a guard on Zuko's ship, picked at the lock. After a few moments of finagling, the door unlocked and the two girls slipped inside.

The morning sun, despite being low in the sky, provided enough light for them to see. It was a small, narrow space and based on the lack of variety and the material itself, Azula guessed that these were clothes not worn by the Earth Kingdom upper class. She frowned a bit as she looked at the dull greens and browns of the tunics and robes hanging along the wall. She was much more suited to wear red, but unfortunately, that wasn't an option unless she wanted to stay in her prison uniform.

"Hmm," Ty Lee frowned a bit as she leaned over a table of clothes opposite the wall Azula was looking at. "They don't have anything pink."

"Everything's the color of dirt," Azula said with a sigh. "Make sense, I guess, since they're Earth Kingdom clothes. Anyway, let's just get what we came for so we can get out of here before anyone shows up."

After a little rummaging, they were both able to find adequate clothing to help stay warm in the waning months of winter. Azula settled on dark brown pants and a dark green sleeveless tunic with a long-sleeved beige shirt to wear underneath. Ty Lee chose light brown pants, a long sleeved green tunic with dark green shirt to wear beneath it.

Both girls decided on brown boots normally worn by farmers and fisherman instead of cloth shoes. In addition to this, they took matching dark gray cloaks to help ward off the chill. Satisfied that they would still be able to fight in their new clothes, they quickly left the shop and pulled up their hoods.

By this time, there were more people out and about on the streets. A few glanced at them curiously as they passed them by, but most didn't seem to pay them much mind.

"These clothes aren't so bad. At least they're warm," Ty Lee said cheerfully as they made their way toward the main street.

"I suppose," Azula replied non-commitally, but inwardly smiled. _"Always the optimist."_

As they turned the corner, a flash of crimson on the edge of town caught Azula's eye, and her senses were immediately on high alert. Ty Lee felt the change in her friend's energy and saw what the firebender did. She too readied herself for a possible confrontation.

They weren't the only one to notice the intrusion. All activity in the village came to a halt. The fear and tension among the villagers was palpable as all eyes turned on the imperial firebenders now riding into town.


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34**

The imperial firebenders led by Prince Zuko's captain came to a stop at the center of the small Earth Kingdom village. The villagers looked upon the men uneasily as their komodo rhinos snorted and pawed at the earth beneath them. Azula and Ty Lee were still off to the side of the road and had not been spotted. The girls watched, waiting to see what would happen.

"What do you want with us?" a stout man with shaggy black hair called out as he stepped in front of them, stomping his foot into the ground and levitating a rock in front of him.

The captain's eyes narrowed as he looked down his nose at the earthbender. "We're looking for fugitives. Have any visitors since last night?"

"No, there's been no one," he replied, his voice hard. "Now leave."

The captain knew it was entirely possible that the trail they had picked up could have belonged to someone else. Still, he had to be sure. No way these peasants would stick their necks out for Fire Nation citizens even if they were traitors.

"Are you sure about that?" he asked, his expression darkening as flames formed at his fists. Before anyone could blink, he shot firebombs to his left and right at the two closest buildings. The roofs erupted in flames, causing a few villagers to cry out in fear as the people inside ran out.

With a yell, the earthbender fired his rock at the captain's head. He ducked in his saddle and followed with a fireball from his fist, striking the earthbender in the chest and sending him flying backwards. The man landed in the middle of the street, just mere feet from where Azula and Ty Lee stood. He coughed as he lay there unable to get up, but no one else in the village dared to moved.

Something stirred inside both girls at the sight. For Ty Lee, it was shades of her recent battle in the Northern Water Tribe—people getting hurt by the Fire Nation yet again—and it made her feel sense of regret. Azula realized that these people really had no way of defending themselves from Zuko's men and that they shouldn't have to. This was her fight.

"Ty Lee," Azula's voice was low but held a commanding tone. Her amber eyes locked on the other girl's. "Get an ostrich horse from the stable we slept in last night."

Before Ty Lee could even ask what Azula had in mind, the firebender stepped into the street and glared up at Zuko's captain. "Looking for me?"

All eyes of the village were on her, many of them filled with confusion and wariness, a few of them hopeful.

At the sight of Azula, the captain felt a sense of triumph knowing that they had indeed picked up the correct trail. He spotted what he assumed was Ty Lee running further up the street as he held his right hand up in a gesture to his men. Two soldiers to his right jumped off their komodo rhinos as he issued the verbal order, "Arrest her."

Before the men could take a step toward her, Azula jumped forward, releasing a powerful stream of azure flames from her left fingertips. Caught off guard, they could nothing but stand there as the concussive flames crashed into them, smashing them against their komodo rhinos before falling to the ground unconscious.

There was a collective gasp from the watching village, but gone were any looks of hope. They had been replaced by fear and anger.

Azula followed her attack with a low sweeping kick of her right leg, sending a large horizontal arc of flame at the komodo rhinos' legs. The animals roared as they bucked the men in their saddles, who fought to maintain control. The two without riders panicked and ran into the side of the captain's animal, causing him to lose control and fall from his saddle. He scrambled to get out of the way of the large stomping feet of the beasts.

Azula smirked and raised her left arm high above her head before stepping forward and bringing down a massive arc of fire on the three soldiers who remained in their saddles. Two raised their arms up to create a shield of fire to protect themselves and their mounts, but one was unable to do so in time and fell from his seat with a yell. Azula then ran toward the group, emitting fire waves from her feet. The flames once again upset the komodo rhinos, sending the beasts into a frenzy and bucking the remaining soldiers off their backs, who were struggling to block the fireballs Azula shot off from her fingertips.

The earth shook. Two of the beasts ran off toward nearby buildings, scattering the gathered crowd who screamed, and smashed in through the front walls. The men, who had regained their footing, tried to calm down the remaining four animals.

While the soldiers worked on that, the captain charged at Azula, releasing firebombs from his fists. She easily blocked them with her forearms before shooting a plume of flame at him. He attempted to block it, but it was too strong and struck him in the chest, knocking the wind out of him. He gasped on the ground.

With the komodo rhinos sufficiently calmed, the two remaining firebenders now had their attentions turned on Azula, who was ready for them.

"Just give up now and go back to my brother. Save yourself the trouble," she said, her voice and expression confident, but she couldn't help but feel angry. _"Why can't Zuko just leave me alone? He's already won."_

They stared at her for a moment, as if considering her words, unsure if they could actually defeat her. But going back to Zuko empty-handed wasn't really an option. Knowing this, they attacked, releasing the most powerful waves of fire that they could summon. Crossing her arms in front of her body, Azula absorbed the attack.

The lone earthbender who had dared to stand against the imperial firebenders was back on his feet, watching the display of firebending before him. If it hadn't been for Azula, these men never would have come to his village—homes would not have been destroyed. Angrily, he stomped his foot into the ground and lifted a rock up, immediately firing it toward the back of Azula's head.

"Azula, behind you!" shouted Ty Lee, who was running back with the ostrich horse.

The prodigy turned her body to the side just as the rock was about to hit her. Instead, it went sailing past her face and smashed into the side of the head of one of the imperial firebenders. He fell to the earth with a dull thud.

Ty Lee leaped toward the earthbender and struck him twice in the side with her fists, quickly dispatching him as his paralyzed body dropped to the ground.

"Get ready to leave, Ty Lee!" Azula commanded, never taking her eyes off the opponents before her. The acrobat obeyed, easily climbing up onto ostrich horse, confident that Azula could take them down.

The captain had finally gotten his breath under control and joined his one remaining subordinate. They were far enough apart where Azula's attention was divided—her eyes darted back and forth between them, waiting for them to make a move. She didn't have to wait long.

With a loud war cry, they unleashed streams of fire from both of their fists. Azula's brow furrowed in concentration as she felt the heat of their flames draw nearer. She created a sphere of fire around her, absorbing their attack, before gathering her own flames into the palms of her hands and launching a devastating firebomb at the entire group of soldiers and komodo rhinos.

With a shocked expression on his face, it was all the captain could do to raised a wall of flame to attempt to block it. He was only partially successful, and the power of the impact sent them all flying back along with mud and dirt.

Without hesitation, Azula jumped on the back of the ostrich horse where Ty Lee was waiting for her. As soon as the acrobat felt the firebender's arms around her waist, she dug her heels into the flanks of the animal, spurring it toward the other end of the village and toward freedom.

As they left town, both girls spared a glance back. Several small buildings burned from the flames of the fight that had just taken place. Others were damaged from collisions with the panicked komodo rhinos running into their front walls. From the looks of things, Zuko's men wouldn't be on their feet for quite some time, and there was a measure of relief felt at that fact.

But the thing that struck them most were the looks on the faces of those villagers who dared to look their way. Their eyes held nothing but contempt for them.

Ty Lee looked away and tightened her grip on the reins as she frowned. She hadn't meant for other people to get hurt when she freed Azula, but she realized it had been foolish to think Zuko would just let them go without consequences.

Azula wasn't surprised, but it didn't stop her from feeling bothered by the hatred being directed toward her by the Earth Kindom villagers. They didn't understand.

The fugitives continued on at a quick and steady pace for as long as their ostrich horse could hold out. As they rode, both girls were lost in their own thoughts. The reality of their situation was sinking in for Azula. Before her confrontation with Zuko at the North Pole, she could still hold onto the hope of regaining her honor by capturing the Avatar, but now it wasn't just her honor that was gone. She was a fugitive and so was Ty Lee. There was nothing left for them. Her temper flared. _"It just isn't fair!"_

Ty Lee, who had been trying to find a more positive way to look at the morning's events, felt Azula's aura shift behind her. "We should probably take a break. We've gone pretty far, and I'm sure the ostrich horse could use a rest," she said as she slowed the animal down.

"Fine." Azula's tone was clipped.

"Are you alright?" Ty Lee asked as she brought the ostrich horse to a complete stop.

Azula climbed down, but said nothing. Her expression was hard, but she wouldn't look at Ty Lee.

"What's wrong?" the acrobat tried again as she joined Azula on the ground. "You can talk to me. You know that, right?"

The firebender finally turned her amber eyes toward her friend. "Ty Lee, we can _never_ go home."

"I know," came the quiet reply.

"So what are we supposed to do now? The entire world hates us!"

"We still have each other. That's worth something, isn't it?"

Azula's emotions warred within her. When she got angry like this, it was so hard to listen to reason, but some part of her knew Ty Lee was right.

"It is to me," Ty Lee added, taking Azula's hands in her own and looking at her in earnest.

The firebender's head dropped as she gazed at their clasped hands, and her anger began to ebb somewhat. She thought of the night before, when she realized what Ty Lee had said just now. But it still didn't make everything alright.

"It's worth something to me too," Azula admitted begrudgingly before looking up at Ty Lee again and releasing their hands. "But there's still the problem of where we're going to go and what we're going to do."

"Oh," Ty Lee's face took on an expression of concern. "I hadn't really thought of that."

"I don't like the idea of spending my entire life running."

"Hmm," Ty Lee pressed her index finger against her chin in thought. "You know, Azula, I think we just need to figure out what it is that we want and go after it."

A bitter laugh escaped Azula lips. "What I want is my honor back. What I want is for my father not to think I'm worthless. I want my brother to treat me like your sisters treat you. I want my uncle and cousin back. I want to know what my mother's face looked like." Tears formed in her eyes, and the firebender angrily wiped at them with the backs of her hands to prevent them from escaping. She turned away, her back now to the acrobat. Silence fell between them. "Maybe we better just stick with what it is you want, Ty Lee," she finally said, her voice quiet.

"I just want to be happy, Azula." There was a pause as Ty Lee placed her palm on Azula's shoulder. "And I really want you to be happy too."

Azula took in a shaky breath. "You're just trying your best to make me cry, aren't you?" Azula said gruffly, but Ty Lee could hear the smile in her voice.

The acrobat laughed lightly. "Of course not."

"So where to?" Azula asked, suddenly turning back to face Ty Lee.

The other girl blinked at her in surprise.

"I'm serious, Ty Lee. Where should we go?"

"Um…. well, why don't we go to Jang Village, like you suggested earlier?" Ty Lee replied. "Get some of your supplies. And maybe we'll find some happiness on the way there," she finished with a smile.

And like so many times before, Azula couldn't help but return her smile, even though she thought Ty Lee was a little crazy for being so cheerful at a time like this.


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35**

"Are you sure you don't want an escort?" General Fong asked Aang, who had just set his bag down in Appa's saddle where Sokka, Katara, Yue, and Momo were waiting.

"We'll be fine," Aang replied, climbing onto Appa's head to take the reins. "It'll be easier to fly to Mount Shinsei on Appa than to travel through the mountains on foot."

The sky bison growled lightly to voice his agreement.

The general nodded up at the boy. "Good luck. I hope Avatar Roku is able to provide the guidance you need to get into the Avatar State."

"Thanks, I hope so too. See you all soon!" he called out to the general and his troops. "Yip yip!"

Seconds later, Appa was ascending to the sky. The sun was shining and there were only a few clouds; it was perfect weather for flying. The young airbender actually felt somewhat optimistic about this latest journey.

As the flight leveled out, Katara leaned over the front end of the saddle to talk to Aang. "I'm glad you decided to ask Roku about this, Aang," she said.

"Me too," he agreed. "I just hope I can get into the Spirit World. Even now, I'm not entirely sure how to get there. If it's not an auspicious day of the year, I need to be in an auspicious place. I wonder if I'll always need those conditions to get there."

"You're the bridge between the two worlds, right?" That was Yue, who had been listening in with curiosity.

"Right," Aang confirmed with a nod, turning his head to the side so he could see her.

"I would think that once you understand all your Avatar powers, you could go between both the Mortal and Spirit Worlds whenever you want, just like being able to bend."

"You're probably right, Yue. There's just so much I still don't know about being an Avatar."

"Then it's a good thing you're going to see Avatar Roku," the water princess said with a warm smile.

He smiled back. He found it was becoming easier to do.

* * *

The fire prince's palanquin moved through the colony town of Jinma, a few miles south of Wendu Harbor. It was a rather large and affluent colony. Many of the Fire Nation nobility had taken up residency here. It was nearing dusk and, given the time of day, Zuko suspected where he would find the person he was looking for.

A hush fell through the street that the prince traveled down. Many of the colonials had never been so close to a member of the royal family before, and those who had had not seen Zuko since he was a young boy. There was a sense of awe in the crowd, as word of his conquest of the Northern Water Tribe had spread quickly, and Zuko couldn't help but smirk as his chest swelled with pride.

Finally, the palanquin came to a halt outside a large teahouse. Zuko glanced up at the sign inscribed with "The Iron Tigerdillo" with the seal of said animal behind it. _"This is definitely the right place,"_ the prince thought as he stepped out of his palanquin.

A young woman serving as hostess was immediately there to greet him at the door. She bowed with her fist against her palm. "Welcome to the Iron Tigerdillo, Prince Zuko. It is an honor to have you visit our teahouse."

"I'm just here to find an old friend," he said dismissively as he walked past the woman and inside the establishment. He glanced around the room, which wasn't very occupied at the moment. It was still too early for the after-dinner crowd, and so most of the tables were empty. The sound of girls' laughter filled the room then, and Zuko turned his head toward the sound.

In the back corner of the teahouse, sitting on a large plush red couch, was a teenaged boy with his arms around two attractive teenaged girls, who were sitting on either side of him. He wore the red robes of a Fire Nation noble, which did little to hide his muscular build, while all of his black hair was up in a traditional Fire Nation top knot. He flashed a brilliant smile to the girl on his right, who was still laughing at something he had just said.

Zuko rolled his eyes and walked over to where they sat, stopping at the edge of their table and crossing his arms. His presence did not go unnoticed. The laughter stopped, and the boy's hazel eyes looked up in mild irritation before he did a double take, recognizing who stood before him.

"Zuko?" he asked, his expression now one of pleasant surprise. Almost automatically, he was at his feet, his fist striking his palm as he bowed his head. The girls, momentarily stunned, quickly followed suit.

"Liu Xing," Zuko replied, indicating that the boy could relax his posture once more. "If you'll excuse us, ladies."

"Yes, Prince Zuko," they replied in unison and politely bowed again and excused themselves, stealing a glance at their prince as they did so.

Liu Xing watched as they moved to the other side of the room, disappointment flittering across his face before one of them looked back and offered him a coy smile. He brightened a bit and winked at her before turning his attention back to Zuko.

"Still up to your old tricks?" Zuko asked with a smirk.

"Ah, you know how it is," Liu Xing replied with a grin and a shrug. "Would you like some tea?" he asked. "I just ordered the lapsang souchong."

Zuko nodded as he took a seat at a clean table next to where his friend had just been sitting and gestured for Liu Xing to sit across from him. As he did, the waiter arrived with their tea.

The scent of smoky pine drifted up toward Zuko's nostrils as the waiter poured each boy a cup. It was one of Liu Xing's favorites, and a definite staple of Fire Nation teas. Zuko himself preferred spiced teas, but every now and then he would indulge in something else.

"So what brings you to the colonies, Zuko? I thought you would have been headed right back to the capital after your victory over the Northern Water Tribe. Congratulations, by the way," he said, toasting his teacup before taking a drink.

"Thank you," Zuko replied smoothly, his smirk ever present as he took a sip of his tea. He paused, savoring the strong, smoky flavor of the brew. "I need to stay in the Earth Kingdom for awhile, although, hopefully not too long." He paused for effect. "I'm hunting the Avatar."

Liu Xing's eyebrows raised in surprise. "I had heard Zhao had been sent after him."

"I took him off the mission. He's not suited for it anyway. And as it stands now, neither am I," Zuko admitted, earning yet another surprised look from his friend. "The royal procession is dead weight. The Avatar never seems to stay in one place for long, and I need to be able to move quickly. So I'm assembling a task force of sorts to go with me." He set his cup down deliberately. "I would be honored if you would join me."

Liu Xing looked a bit stunned by the proposal, but Zuko knew he would not refuse him. _"I am laying it on rather quickly, but I don't want to waste time."_

"The honor would be mine," he replied, placing his cup down as well. "When do we leave?"

Zuko smiled triumphantly and picked up his cup again. "As soon as we're done with our tea. It would be a shame to waste it."

Liu Xing nodded, grinned, and took another drink. "So who else will be a part of this task force?" he asked.

"Mai," and this time Zuko couldn't stop a genuine smile from gracing his lips.

Liu Xing smiled warmly in response. "How is your wife anyway?"

"She's well. We'll be meeting her in Omashu."

"It'll be great to see her again."

"It certainly will," Zuko replied with a nod. The anticipation of their upcoming reunion filled him with excitement.

* * *

If Liu Xing were being honest with Zuko, he would have preferred to stay in Jinma instead of joining his childhood friend from the Royal Fire Academy for Boys. He had a good thing going here—his family was among the wealthiest in town, and he had quite a few girls he was courting. Yet, at the same time, he understood his duty to the Fire Nation, and the fact that Zuko had personally sought out his services was a nice stroke to the ego. Besides, if he could help Zuko capture the Avatar, he would reap some serious benefits.

His family had moved to Jinma shortly after Zuko's wedding to Mai—his parents taking the opportunity to stake a claim in the growing weapons industry. With so much of the war being fought in the Earth Kingdom, it made sense to have supplies closer to the troops.

Personally, he had little interest in his family's main business, unlike his older brother. He preferred to spend his time in the teahouse, which his family also owned, socializing and keeping up with the current events. He hadn't been in the Fire Nation for Fire Lord Ozai and Princess Azula's Agni Kai, but he had heard about it and the fallout that had resulted. Nearly everyone had.

So it left Liu Xing somewhat curious how she might factor into Zuko's plans.

"So what about Azula? Isn't she trying to find the Avatar too?" Liu Xing asked as they made their way onto Zuko's ship.

Zuko's face darkened at the mention of his sister. "Azula's a traitor. And so is Ty Lee."

"Ty Lee too? That's a shame." He remembered the pink wearing girl from his visits to the royal palace. She had been a little too young for him at the time, but if her older sisters were any indication, she was going to be quite beautiful. "So what did they do?"

"Azula attacked me at the North Pole as I was taking the Avatar into custody. Ty Lee later helped her escape."

"Ah, so they're fugitives."

Zuko nodded, still frowning. His good mood from earlier had all but evaporated.

Liu Xing wanted to ask more, but sensed it really wasn't a good time. He wondered if there would ever be a good time considering how foul Zuko's mood had turned at the mention of Azula.

"Rei will show you to your quarters. Good evening," Zuko said abruptly before turning to head toward the bridge.

It was then that Liu Xing noticed Zuko's servant standing next to him. "This way, Liu Xing."

With a sigh and a shake of his head, the boy slung his bag over his shoulder and followed the man to his cabin. He already missed the Iron Tigerdillo.


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36**

Ty Lee stood on the riverbank filling the waterskins they had taken from the stable, and paused to watch as Azula waded up to her knees in the Makapu River. The water was freezing, so Azula, being a firebender, had volunteered to try to catch their dinner while Ty Lee set up camp. Fish seemed to be the only option as all the plants were still bare. Not that either of them would have known what plants were edible.

Azula rolled up her sleeves and stared down into the water. _"This was a lot easier in my head,"_ she thought as she slipped her knife from her belt. She stood very still for a few moments, looking for some kind of movement. Her eyes finally spotted the form of a fish coming towards her. Azula stabbed at the water with her knife, trying to catch the passing fish with the blade, and missed. Several more attempts were made, each one more unsuccessful than the last. "Ugh, this is impossible!" she shouted, throwing her hands up in frustration.

Ty Lee's stomach grumbled in protest as she began to gather firewood, but she let Azula be. She glanced over to the tree where they had tied up their ostrich horse. Even he seemed to be having a tough time finding much to graze on.

Still, Azula wasn't about to give up just yet. It had been well over a day since either of them had last eaten, and considering how much they had exerted themselves during that time, she knew they needed more than rest. _"If peasant fishermen can do this with a spear, I can do this with a knife,"_ she told herself and set back to the task.

* * *

"We're close. I can feel it," Aang announced as he closed his eyes, feeling the energy of the planet around him as Appa flew closer to Mount Shinsei. When he opened his eyes again, what he saw took his breath away.

At the peak of the snow capped mountain was an indentation at its center, about a quarter of a mile wide, housing a lush forest. Within the center of the forest was a large, flat, circular rock formation with an intricate flower pattern carved onto its face, and at its center was a yin yang.

"Wow," Katara breathed as she took in the site of it.

"The priest was right. This place is special," Aang said as they landed beside the rock formation, which seemed to function like a platform. Despite the high altitude, there was a sense of calm here, as if it were insulated from the harsh elements of the world around it. It centered Aang and put his spirit at ease.

"How is this possible?" Sokka asked as he took in the sight of everything around him.

"It must be like at the North Pole. The Spirit Oasis was a center of spiritual energy in the world," Yue remarked.

"If you say so," Sokka said with a shrug.

Yue looked at him questioningly.

"I'm just not into this spiritual stuff. I'm a logic and reason guy," he explained before turning his attention to their gear in Appa's saddle.

"You say that like logic and reason don't apply to spirituality."

"Well, they don't," he said matter-of-fact.

"Are you sure about that?" she asked playfully.

Sokka opened his mouth to say yes, but when he turned to look at Yue, something in the way she was looking at him made lose his train of thought. This girl—this wonderful, amazing, beautiful princess—had turned his world completely upside down. Logic and reason didn't seem to apply here either.

Yue laughed lightly at the smitten expression that had overtaken his face and moved beside him to help setting up camp. "We'll talk about it later, I'm sure. I think Aang would prefer it if we didn't talk while he meditated."

Sokka shook his head and smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, we should let Aang do his thing."

Down on the ground, Aang stood alongside Katara, both of them still awed by the place they were in. They knew without a doubt that Aang would have no trouble getting into the Spirit World from here.

"Good luck, Aang," Katara said. "We'll be here waiting for you when you get back."

"Thanks, Katara," he replied.

He then airbended himself up to the top of the rock formation, his eyes drinking in every detail of the rock carving. Now that he was up close, he could see that within each petal various letters were carved. He sat down cross-legged atop the yin yang and let his fingers trace the syllables in the rock. He whispered them softly to himself and felt a resonance within his spirit.

With a soft smile, Aang then brought his fists together and his mind inward.

* * *

It had taken Azula a good half hour, but finally she had managed to spear two decent sized fish with her knife. By the time she had gotten out of the river, Ty Lee had finished setting up their simple camp. All that was left to do was for Azula to make a fire and, somehow, figure out how to cook their dinner.

Neither of them had a clue how to do it. For the last year all their meals on Azula's ship were prepared by Kali. Occasionally, Ty Lee would go with him to purchase their food, so she had a vague idea of what spices were used in the dishes they liked. When they had spent time away from the ship, they always had trail rations. But actually cooking a fish was completely unknown. The fact that they didn't have any spices or cooking implements only made the task more daunting. It might have been amusing if they both weren't so hungry.

Finally, Azula just settled on holding the fish over the fire with her knife until it began to smoke. The result was less than desirable. Ty Lee didn't complain and ate every bite despite the overcooked, dry, burnt flavor.

"We can't continue on like this all the way to Jang. We need to find another town before then so we can get some real food," Azula said as she finished her very unsatisfying meal and threw the bones onto the fire disgustedly. She then took a long drink of water in an attempt to wash the taste from her mouth.

"That sounds like a good idea," Ty Lee agreed before moving closer to the fire in attempt to get warm. With the sun no longer out, the temperature had dropped quite a bit. She pulled her cloak tighter around her and held her hands closer to the flames.

Azula laid back on one of the two saddle blankets Ty Lee had laid out near the fire and stared up through the bare tree branches toward the star studded sky. But she wasn't really taking in the scenery. She was busy calculating how much longer it would take them to reach Jang if they could travel at a reasonable speed. It was a way to keep her mind busy—to distract herself from the emotions that threatened to take over at any moment if she really stopped to think about their predicament any further.

"Azula?" Ty Lee's voice interrupted her calculations.

"Hmm?" Azula turned her head to look over at Ty Lee, who now had her saddle blanket wrapped around her body as well.

"Would it be possible for you to share some of your inner fire again, like last night? I'm freezing."

"Uh, sure," she replied, suddenly realizing just how cold it had gotten. "Here, lie down between me and the fire. That should keep you warm enough."

"Thanks, Azula," Ty Lee said with a grateful smile as she settled down on the ground with her blanket beneath her, facing the fire. Azula then nestled in behind her friend and pulled her own blanket over them both.

As they lay there together, the worries and stresses of the day began to recede from Azula's mind. She wasn't sure why, but she was glad for it. Ty Lee was one of the few good things to happen in her life, and being so close to the acrobat forced her to be mindful of that fact instead of taking it for granted.

It felt good to be cared about, and it felt good not to worry for once. In this moment, Azula thought she was almost content.

* * *

"Hello, Aang," came the voice of Avatar Roku. Aang opened his eyes to see the ethereal form of his past life sitting on the head of the man's dragon, Fang. "I've been expecting you," he continued with a smile and held out his hand. Aang took it and climbed up behind Roku onto Fang's head.

"Where are we going?" Aang asked as the dragon took to the sky.

"There are things I need to show you. But first, tell me what's troubling you. I can tell your spirit is carrying a heavy burden."

Aang sighed. "At the North Pole, I couldn't stop the Fire Nation and the Water Tribe fell. I failed."

"You haven't failed, Aang," Roku reassured the boy. "If anyone is to blame for the state of the world, it is me. I should have seen this war coming and prevented it. You inherited my problems and my mistakes. But I also believe you are destined to redeem me and save the world. The Fire Nation hasn't won the war yet, and the Water Tribe can be liberated."

"You're right. And the Earth Kingdom is still free," he agreed with an emphatic nod. "But I'm running out of time, Roku. I need to learn how to get in and out of the Avatar State."

"What do you know about the Avatar State?"

"Honestly… not much. I just know that I have the ability to bend all the elements as a master would, only with a lot more power behind it, but I'm not in control of it at all."

"The Avatar State is a defense mechanism, designed to empower you with the skills and knowledge of all the past Avatars," Roku explained while Aang listened intently.

As Fang carried them through the sky, Aang saw on the tops of the clouds his past lives all in a row. The sky then transformed into earth. To his left was Avatar Kyoshi with two giant badger mole statues behind her. Her eyes glowed as she raised her fans and dropped into an earthbending stance, easily lifting the statues and sending them flying off into the distance.

"The glow is the combination of all your past lives, focusing their energy through your body," Roku continued.

Suddenly, they were flying right over the ocean. To their right, Aang saw Avatar Kuruk riding on the bow of a ship. His eyes also glowed as he raised his arms overhead creating a massive tidal wave, which he rode on.

They followed that energy until the water transformed into a field, where Avatar Yangchen stood. Her eyes and tattoos glowed, just like Aang's, as she unleashed a powerful wind, blowing back the trees and plants before her. He could feel the incredible power his past lives had wielded.

As if reading Aang's mind, Roku continued his lesson. "In the Avatar State, you are at your most powerful, but you are also at your most vulnerable."

"What do you mean?" Aang asked—the land around them once again turning back into sky, where all his past lives once again stood upon the clouds in a line.

"If you are killed in the Avatar state, the reincarnation cycle will be broken and the Avatar will cease to exist."

Every single form upon the clouds systematically disappeared, and the image was striking to Aang. He was stricken by the thought. "But wait… past Avatars used it."

"Yes, but only after they had mastered all four elements," Roku explained as he guided Fang down to a garden in Spirit World. They climbed off the dragon and stood facing from one another. "Mastering the Avatar State takes the same kind of discipline as mastering the elements."

Aang's first reaction was to say there wasn't time for that, but Roku knew he had until summer's end. And Roku had faith in him that he could put a stop to this war. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes."

Roku smiled at Aang. "First, you must continue your waterbending training, but you must also find an earthbending teacher. Your earthbending will ground you, and that transformation of your spirit will provide you with the stability you need to control yourself when in the Avatar State. Once you have found that teacher, come and see me again."

"About that. How do I get in and out of the Spirit World? Can I do it whenever I want?"

"Yes. Remember, you are the spirit of the planet incarnated into a human form. You are part of both worlds. Bring your mind to your spirit and it can travel wherever your mind tells it to go."

"Thank you, Roku," he said with a bow. "Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Aang. And remember, you don't have to face this alone. All the wisdom of your past lives is available to you. And your friends will help you, Aang. Don't be afraid to rely on them. They are the source of your greatest strength."

Aang closed his eyes and focused on his friends, feeling his spirit move between worlds.

When he returned to his body, it was dawn. _"Huh, I felt like I was only gone for a few minutes. I guess time passes differently in the Spirit World."_

He found that his friends were all fast asleep, but Katara had laid out his sleeping bag alongside hers for when he got back. He smiled at the gesture as he quietly climbed into it. Within minutes, he was fast asleep, the smile never leaving his face.


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37**

After his trip to the Spirit World, Aang had a renewed sense of hope and purpose. He knew he had a difficult task ahead of him, but knowing he didn't have to do it alone made things much easier.

Despite General Fong's offer to teach him earthbending, Aang declined. Ever since Roku told him that he must soon find an earthbending master, he had his heart set on his old friend King Bumi of Omashu. Plus, he needed to go someplace where Katara could teach him more waterbending before he began his earthbending training.

After taking a brief respite at the earth general's base, Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Yue began to head south through the mountains toward Omashu in search of a relatively safe place with lots of water. Eventually, they found a section of the mountains cut away by a river and continued to follow its path. Along the edge of the water were steep cliffs covered in vegetation—the sight excited Aang. It meant spring was coming soon. A bit further down the river, the water pooled into a lake with a sand beach on its far bank. They knew without a doubt this was the place and set up camp.

Heeding Avatar Roku's advice, Aang immediately set to work training harder than ever before, and Katara was more than happy to work with him.

While they trained, Sokka spent much of that time with Yue, who was eager to explore the land that was so different from the one she had grown up in. Down here, closer to the equator, there was no need for the warm winter coats they had been wearing all through their journey, and Yue's robes proved to be a bit too cumbersome in the wilderness. Katara had provided her with a set of her own clothes in order to help maximize her level of comfort.

It was strange not to be dressed like a princess, but Yue found she liked it. It also helped her to not be constantly reminded of what she had lost, but rather, helped her to focus on what she could do now to help Aang. She was eager to learn any skills that would aid in that process.

Sokka was more than eager to teach her. He found her curiosity endlessly endearing.

First on the agenda was how to fish.

"There are three ways that I know of to catch a fish," he explained as they walked further up the river and away from where Aang and Katara were waterbending. "Angling, spearing, or netting. For now, I think we should stick to angling. Netting's the easiest, but we don't have one with us. Spearing is the quickest, but it takes the most skill. Angling is a nice compromise."

He showed her how to use his fishing rod, find appropriate bait, and find the best places to find fish in the water. Yue even managed to catch one on her third attempt. Sokka then showed her how to kill it quickly with a knife, claiming that it didn't taste as good if it's death was drawn out. It was a little jarring to see such a thing firsthand, but Yue reasoned that it was better than letting the creature suffer longer than necessary. Next, Sokka showed her how to wrap it up in leaves for later cooking.

"Katara can show you how to do that," he said. "Cooking's never really been one of my strong suits."

"Sounds fair," she said as they began walking back to camp. "Sokka?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think you could teach me how to fight?"

"Huh?" he asked, a bit stunned as he stopped in his tracks.

"I've been thinking," Yue said, also slowing in her steps to face him. "We're probably going to be in dangerous situations again, and I should at least know how to defend myself."

"You don't need to fight. I'll protect you. I promised your dad I would."

"I know, Sokka, and I appreciate that. But I want to pull my own weight. If I had been born in your tribe, I would have been allowed to at least learn if I wanted to. I was never even given the choice."

"Okay, I promise I'll teach you. But no weapons yet."

"Thank you, Sokka," she said with a grateful smile before leaning in and pressing her lips against his.

* * *

Zuko sat in his cabin, mulling over some documents sent from War Minister Qin, but he really wasn't interested in them at the moment. He was currently thinking about more immediate plans. His ship was set to make port in less than a day. From there, he would travel on land for two more days to get to Omashu, where General Kanzo and his troops still resided. Mai's family would not arrive for at least another three days. He wanted to be there beforehand to surprise her and to also make sure the transition from Earth Kingdom to Fire Nation rule was going smoothly.

Once that was taken care of, he hoped to have a lead on the Avatar's whereabouts. Since the fall of the Northern Water Tribe, no one had seen him.

Still, even that he had trouble focusing on, despite how much he'd rather think of it. There was a serious problem that he had not yet dealt with, and he wasn't sure of the best way to do it.

Specifically, he had not informed Ozai that Azula would not be among the prisoners delivered by Commander Lee—that he had allowed her to escape. He did not want his father to think less of him due to this transgression, but Zuko knew he would not be pleased.

So he had waited in the hopes that his men would have successfully captured Azula and Ty Lee. It was clear they had failed, which irritated Zuko to no end.

At the very least, he had to ensure that the proper measures were in place to placate the Fire Lord as much as possible. It was all he could do for now.

Zuko pulled out a blank piece of parchment, dipped his brush in some ink, and began to write.

* * *

On the fourth day since escaping Zuko's ship, Azula and Ty Lee reached the outskirts of Jang. They found that still free Earth Kingdom villages were few and far between in these parts, so they hadn't been able to get much in the way of food. But it was still better than anything they could have gotten out in the wild.

Still, they were both looking forward to being able to have enough money to actually get what they needed, and they were glad that the wait would soon be over.

They had decided to set up camp in the forest outside of Jang and wait for night to fall. They didn't have to wait very long. Within a few hours, twilight had faded, and Azula was on her feet.

"Time to go," Azula said, pulling up the hood on her cloak to conceal her face as best she could. "I want you to wait here."

"Are you sure?" Ty Lee asked, looking up at Azula from her spot near the campfire.

"Yes, it will be easier if I go alone. I'll be back before you know it."

Ty Lee nodded at her, and the firebender took off toward the village.

As Azula began to sneak into town, she couldn't help but think of her time at the North Pole just a few weeks prior and the lengths she had gone to in order to find the Avatar. _"If only I could have held onto you. If only Zhao hadn't gotten in my way,"_ she thought angrily before reprimanding herself. _"Don't think about that right now, Azula. Just stay focused."_

Azula's eyes scanned the streets. There were guards present, but she knew she could avoid their detection if she stayed in the shadows. As she turned the corner onto the street of the storage facility, she caught sight of the docks. Without even meaning to, Azula looked for the familiar single-stacked steam powered warship left to her by General Iroh. It quickly became apparent that her ship was gone, no doubt confiscated by the Fire Nation per Zuko's orders.

She felt a pang of sadness. Not that she would have been able to do much with it now, but it still hurt. It was just one more reminder of how badly things had turned out, and one less connection to the man responsible for her happier childhood memories.

She shook her head to dispel those thoughts and continued on toward the storage facility. Since it was late, there was no one working inside. All Azula had to do was get past the two guards positioned on the street, which she did with relative ease.

Once inside, Azula quickly found the locker where she had left her Uncle Iroh's Jian sword and a small black chest containing all of her remaining money; her scrolls, inks, and brushes; and, most dear to her heart, the gifts from her uncle.

The key was long gone—having been taken from her when she was taken into custody at the North Pole—but Azula was becoming quite adept at picking locks. Within a few moments of working at it with her knife, the lock was off. Anxiously, Azula tucked away her knife and opened the locker door.

Only to find it completely empty.

Azula stared in disbelief. An unexpected wave of despair rose up in her as she closed her eyes. She found herself unable to move from her spot. _"Where did everything go?"_

She felt numb. Even something so simple as this—a simple task of retrieving her belongings—was made impossible. She wondered why the universe felt the need to keep taking everything away.

Slamming the door shut, Azula turned away.

* * *

An hour later, Azula returned to camp, empty-handed. Ty Lee took one look at the other girl's aura and bit her lip. It looked way too much like it did when Azula was on Zuko's ship.

Wordlessly, the firebender sat beside Ty Lee and stared into the campfire.

"What happened, Azula?" she asked worriedly, scooting closer and wrapping her arm around her friend's waist.

She didn't answer at first, just continuing to stare into the fire.

"It's gone," she finally said, her voice low. "Everything's gone—my ship, my supplies." Azula let out a shaky breath, willing herself to keep her anger under control. "That's not all," the firebender continued, procuring a scroll from beneath her cloak. "I saw this on my way out of town," she explained, handing it to Ty Lee, who took it with her free hand and unfurled it.

There she saw Azula's face and her own beneath it. Alongside their pictures was some writing giving their names, physical descriptions, their crimes against the Fire Nation, and the terms of the bounty on their heads.

"Wanted dead or alive," Ty Lee whispered with a frown. Seeing it all in writing gave a certain finality to things.

Azula suddenly reached up and pulled out the ribbon that held her top knot in place, freeing her hair as it spilled down her back. She then took the scroll from Ty Lee and threw it onto the fire. Azula's face was hard as she watched the paper burn until there was nothing left of it.

Once it was gone, she turned away from Ty Lee and lay down on her side, pulling the saddle blanket over her. The acrobat looked at her sadly for a moment, before reaching up and undoing her braid. Once done with that, Ty Lee lay down beside Azula and nestled beneath the blanket before hugging the firebender from behind.

"Things will work out, Azula," Ty Lee said, trying to offer her some comfort.

"I don't want to talk anymore tonight," Azula said, her tone a mixture of anger and defeat. "Goodnight."

Ty Lee sighed. "Goodnight."


	38. Chapter 38

**Author's Note:** Must give credit where it is due—rabbit jerboas are nikipinz's creation.

* * *

**Chapter 38**

It had been a week since Azula and Ty Lee had left Jang. They had spent most of that time in the thick forest of the northwestern Earth Kingdom, traveling southeast to get to warmer climes as well as putting some distance between themselves and the colonies.

But aside from that, Azula really had no idea what they were going to do. It was something that weighed heavily on her, and she constantly struggled to keep her emotions—specifically, her anger—from taking over. It seemed her entire life had been so out of her control, so she was trying to maintain control over the one thing she thought she should be able to. It was proving to be difficult. She wondered just how Ty Lee managed to stay so positive. After all, she was in the same boat now.

They had done their best to avoid Fire Nation settlements and stopped in Earth Kingdom towns to get food and other supplies along the way. They would simply take what they needed. Both girls excelled in stealth, and no one was the wiser. However, this was something that Ty Lee was beginning to feel uncomfortable with, but she had been unable to come up with an alternative until reaching the outskirts of yet another Earth Kingdom town, not too far from Gaipan.

"I don't think we should keep stealing things, Azula," Ty Lee said as they walked side-by-side with Azula leading their ostrich horse by the reins.

"We don't have any way to pay for them," the firebender replied, matter-of-fact, expecting that to be the end of it.

"We could try to make some money," the acrobat suggested.

"How?" Azula asked, turning her head to look at Ty Lee and raising a questioning eyebrow.

"We could try performing like that musician we saw on the street in the last village we stopped in."

"What?" Azula stopped in her tracks and stared at Ty Lee incredulously. "That kind of thing is beneath us."

"It's better than being a thief!"

Azula sighed. "People will see us, Ty Lee."

"No one knows who we are in these little Earth Kingdom towns. We look just like them."

The firebender's lip curled in disgust. She was proud of her heritage and didn't like that she had to go around looking like some kind of peasant.

Ty Lee continued on, completely ignoring Azula's dislike of the idea. "I thought I could perform some acrobatics, and, well, I was going to join the circus to do that anyway. This isn't so different."

"It's different because we're essentially begging," Azula's voice grew harsher as the dam that held back the emotions she'd been trying to keep in check began to crack. "This… this isn't fair. We shouldn't even have to live like this. I'm royalty and you're a noblewoman for Agni's sake!"

"Azula, please calm down," Ty Lee pleaded, holding her hands up to placate the other girl. "Everything will be okay."

"How?" Azula asked angrily. "How will it be okay?"

Ty Lee flinched at the firebender's tone. Azula usually didn't direct her anger at the acrobat, but the ex-princess was reaching a breaking point. She had been trying not to think about it over the last several days, but ever since they left Jang, it was becoming increasingly difficult to avoid the stark reality of their situation.

"I need you to do more than just telling me that things will be okay or that things will work out. Tell me _how_, Ty Lee!"

Tears sprang to the acrobat's eyes, and she began to cry. Azula immediately felt a pang of guilt. "I'm trying, Azula. I really am," Ty Lee sniffled as she wiped at her tears. "I'm doing everything I can to keep your spirits up, but I don't know what more I can do."

Azula growled in frustration—mostly at herself. Ty Lee didn't deserve her anger. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled at you," she said apologetically, and Ty Lee's tears slowly stopped. "It's just that I hate this. I hate that we have no place to go and that we're wanted dead or alive. I hate that no matter what I do, my father will never accept me back home."

"I kind of know how that is. I mean, my parents didn't exactly pay attention to me when I lived at home. Even before I became a traitor, they wouldn't have wanted me back unless I became someone I'm not," Ty Lee said with a frown before brightening a bit. "But we're in this together, so try not to worry so much."

"How can I not worry, Ty Lee? We need some kind of plan."

"Maybe you should try doing what I do and just take life as it comes."

Azula huffed.

"And think of it this way," Ty Lee continued. "We can only go up from here."

* * *

Despite Azula's objections, Ty Lee situated herself along the town's busiest street and began performing various acrobatic sequences. The girl clearly loved the attention that was directed at her, while Azula sat off to the side, keeping an eye on money left for her friend.

Not that there was much to keep an eye on. This town was poorer than some of the others they had stopped in. While several of the townspeople enjoyed watching Ty Lee, they weren't able to spare more than a few copper pieces.

As Ty Lee moved into a handstand, balancing on just her index fingers, a shadow fell over them. They looked up to see a tall boy with shaggy brown hair and a piece of straw between his teeth.

"Those are some nice moves," he said with a charming smile.

"Thanks!" Ty Lee beamed up at him from her upside down position.

He dropped a copper coin onto Ty Lee's cloak, which Azula had laid out to collect any offerings.

"I wish I could give you more, but I'm kind of low on money," he said apologetically.

"Thanks anyway," the acrobat replied still smiling at him, as she tucked her body in and rolled forward until she was sitting beside Azula.

He slung a small pack over his shoulders and began to slowly continue his walk down the street.

"He was kind of cute, don't you think, Azula?" Ty Lee giggled as she leaned into the firebender.

"I suppose," Azula rolled her eyes, more focused on the money they had collected. She let out a frustrated sigh. "We still don't have enough for dinner. The most this will get us is a bag of feed for the ostrich horse."

Azula noticed the boy suddenly pause in his tracks and then turn back toward them. The firebender looked at him questioningly.

"I couldn't help but overhear you just now," he explained. "Since I can't give you more money, why don't you join me and my friends for dinner. We caught some rabbit jerboas. I think we have enough to spare."

"Oh, that's really sweet of you!" Ty Lee glanced over at Azula, who's stomach grumbled. The firebender shrugged at her, too hungry to really object. "We'd love to!"

"Great!" he said, flashing yet another charming smile at the acrobat as she and Azula stood up and began to gather their things. "My name's Jet, by the way."

"Nice to meet you, Jet," Ty Lee replied with a smile. "My name's—oof!" A rolled up saddle blanket suddenly hit the acrobat in the side. She scowled slightly as she turned to see who threw it, only to find Azula standing at the ready with their ostrich horse.

"I need you to carry that, _Yinji_."

Ty Lee looked at her strangely for a moment before it dawned on her why Azula called her by another name. _"Yinji, Yinji, Yinji,"_ she repeated in her mind so that she would remember it.

"Okay, _Ruka_. Jeez, you didn't have to throw it at me."

"_Ruka, huh? That name almost sounds Fire Nation,"_ Azula thought with a mental roll of her eyes. But Jet didn't seem to notice.

After a quick stop to pick up some feed for their ostrich horse, the two girls then followed Jet to a small campsite about a half mile out of town. Jet and Ty Lee made small talk along the way, but Azula preferred to keep to herself as she led their ostrich horse along. Ty Lee seemed to be enjoying herself, and Azula was just going along because she wanted dinner. She noted the hook swords on his back, and wondered if he had much skill using them.

When they arrived at the campsite, Azula saw two other teens sitting near the fire. One was a girl with short hair and face paint, who was busy slicing up one of the rabbit jerboas. The other was a tall boy wearing a hat, who was keeping a lookout with bow in hand.

The boy nodded at Jet and looked at Azula and Ty Lee questioningly as they followed Jet into camp.

"Here, Smellerbee, got you what you needed," Jet said, tossing a pouch of herbs to the girl, who grabbed it out of the air. She, too, noticed the extra company. "I brought a couple people I met in town to join us for dinner." He glanced at Azula and Ty Lee as he gestured to his friends. "These are my Freedom Fighters: Smellerbee and Longshot. Guys, meet Ruka and Yinji."

"Nice to meet you," Smellerbee said congenially.

Longshot simply nodded at the pair.

"It's nice to meet you," Ty Lee said with a friendly smile.

Azula decided to follow Longshot's lead, and nodded as well. She wasn't really in a sociable mood, and she didn't feel like calling on her courtly manners. Besides, it seemed like Ty Lee had that covered just fine.

"Dinner should be ready soon," Smellerbee informed them. "Can you help me out, Longshot?"

Wordlessly, the boy moved to her side.

As Azula tied up her ostrich horse to a nearby tree and gave it a bag of feed, she watched Ty Lee sit down beside Jet. Ty Lee had always been friendly with just about everyone she met, so it shouldn't have come as a surprise just how at ease she was around this boy they barely knew. Inexplicably, she found herself feeling a little jealous. She had no idea why, but she quickly tried to push those feelings aside.

Once her animal was taken care of, Azula moved over to the campfire and sat on the other side of Ty Lee. She observed Smellerbee and Longshot prepare the rabbit jerboa—how they spread the herbs over the meat, then spit it, and then placed it over the fire—and made a note of how to do it herself in the future.

"Mmm, that smells really good," Ty Lee said as the scent of cooking meat filled the campsite.

"It does," Azula agreed, realizing she should try to be somewhat gracious considering she was being given a free meal. "It'll be nice to have a cooked meal again. Thank you sharing with us."

"It's not a problem," Jet replied. "So are you two refugees?"

"Huh?" Ty Lee asked.

"Yes, we're refugees," Azula lied easily, turning her eyes toward Jet.

"I thought so," he said, looking at her scar sympathetically. "Most of the other travelers around here are. So many villages have been raided, and those people who are lucky enough to keep there lives have nowhere to go."

"Is that what happened to you guys?" Ty Lee asked, her voice taking on a note of concern.

"Our town got burned down by the Fire Nation a few years ago," Smellerbee replied, indicating herself and Longshot. "Luckily, we met up with Jet and some others shortly after. We've looked out for each other ever since."

"What about you?" Ty Lee asked, turning concerned eyes on Jet.

"Fire Nation killed my parents. I was only eight years old. That day changed me forever," he said closing his eyes briefly as a pained expression crossed his face.

Azula couldn't help but feel ashamed at that moment. Somehow, she felt responsible for what happened to them, even though she had nothing to do with it. But it had been her country that had caused them to lose everything. _"Not unlike what the Fire Nation has done to me and Ty Lee." _

"We've stayed around here since then," Jet continued after collecting himself, "but it's time to move on. So we decided to go to Ba Sing Se. I guess you could say we're looking to start over."

"Start over?" Ty Lee asked.

"Let's just say we've done some things in our past that we're not proud of," he said, looking somewhat ashamed. Azula noticed that his companions wore similar expressions and wondered what it was they had done wrong. "That's why we're going to Ba Sing Se—for a new beginning. A second chance. It's the city of opportunity. They say everyone lives like royalty."

Azula perked up at that. "Royalty?"

Jet nodded eagerly. "I can't wait to get there and see the great wall with my own eyes."

Azula's jaw clenched almost imperceptibly, knowing that it had been the place where Iroh and Lu Ten had taken their final breathes.

"Dinner's ready," Smellerbee announced. "Help yourselves," she said, taking some of the meat off the fire. Everyone quickly followed suit, and a silence fell over the group as they took their first few bites of their meal. Even though it was a bit bland by her preferences, Azula had to admit it was good to have a hot meal.

"So what about you guys?" Jet asked, finally breaking the silence. "I'm assuming you aren't going to stay here."

Ty Lee looked toward Azula, deferring to the firebender to answer the question, but she was suddenly fixated on her meal. It was obvious she didn't want to divulge any information.

"We're still trying to figure that out," Ty Lee said with a shrug, as she turned back to Jet. "In a way, we're looking to start over too."

"Then maybe Ba Sing Se is the place for you."

"It does sound pretty nice," the acrobat agreed. "I wonder if they have a circus there."

"They have everything in Ba Sing Se," Jet enthused. "Like I said before—it's a city of opportunity."

"Maybe we should think about going there," Ty Lee said, looking at Azula. There was a hint of longing in her large, gray eyes, and Azula felt a little guilty.

For as long as she had known Ty Lee, joining the circus had always been something the acrobat had wanted to pursue. And maybe doing it someplace as big as Ba Sing Se would allow them enough anonymity to do it. Yet, that very idea tore at her pride. She didn't want to have to pretend to be some lowly commoner.

Then again, she owed it to Ty Lee. She had given up everything to save her life.

"Maybe," Azula agreed.

"I know we don't know each other very well," Jet said, "but you guys are more than welcome to travel with us."

Both girls looked at him, surprised. Smellerbee and Longshot seemed okay with it, but Azula got the distinct impression that he called the shots.

"We'll have to think about it," Azula said before Ty Lee could say anything.

"Fair enough," he replied.

Azula nodded at the boy, and Ty Lee offered him a grateful smile before everyone went back to finishing their meals.

"Well, I think we should be turning in," Azula said upon dinner's completion. "Thank you for your hospitality."

"Yes, thank you for everything. The food was delicious," Ty Lee agreed.

"Not a problem," Jet replied with a smile, which Ty Lee easily returned before getting up to follow Azula to their ostrich horse.

As Azula went to untie the animal, Jet called out to them, "Remember, my offer still stands. If you want to come along with us to Ba Sing Se, meet us here at dawn. We'll be leaving early tomorrow morning."

"Fair enough," Azula replied, repeating his words from earlier. "Good evening." With those words she climbed upon her ostrich horse.

"Goodbye," Ty Lee echoed, climbing up behind Azula to find their own place to camp.

After they had put a little distance between themselves and the Freedom Fighters, Ty Lee tightened her grip on Azula's waist, indicating that she wanted to talk. "So, what do you think of them?" Ty Lee asked enthusiastically.

"They seem nice enough," Azula said with a shrug. She still wasn't quite sure what to make of Jet or his companions. And while they may have been onto something with moving to Ba Sing Se, she wasn't so sure traveling with them was the wisest idea.

"What do you think about Jet's offer?"

"We'll talk about it once we set up camp for the night, alright?"

"Alright," Ty Lee agreed happily, letting Azula lead them through the forest and, hopefully, to some answers.


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39**

"I don't think it's a good idea," Azula said as she poked at their dying fire.

"But why not?" Ty Lee asked, her body turned to look at her friend.

"Ty Lee, we're Fire Nation. It's too risky. Besides, we hardly know them."

"I have a good feeling about them," Ty Lee said earnestly, but she knew that wasn't enough. She had to play to Azula's practical side. "You said that we need some kind of plan, right? Well, this is it! Ba Sing Se and the circus."

"We can still go to Ba Sing Se, but I think it's better if we keep to ourselves."

"As long as we keep our identities secret, I just don't see the harm in going with Jet and his friends."

"I don't like the idea of having to pretend to be someone I'm not," Azula said with a scowl.

"If we're going to keep eluding the Fire Nation, we have to do that anyway," Ty Lee countered.

"That's true," Azula conceded with a frown.

"So it'll be good practice," the acrobat continued. "Plus, they know how to survive out here. We don't."

Azula had to admit Ty Lee had made some very good points. "Fine," she relented. "But from now on, you're Yinji and I'm Ruka. Don't forget it."

Ty Lee beamed at her ascent, and Azula couldn't hold back a small smile at having made her friend so happy.

* * *

It was early afternoon when Princess Mai's carriage arrived at the city gates of Omashu. The military escort that had joined her family's entourage that morning indicated that they were close. She was looking forward to a change of pace after all the dull travel.

From the reports she had read, Mai knew there was still unrest in the city—what remained of the earth city's army had formed a resistance. She imagined that some of General Kanzo's troops would likely remain well after her father's ascension to governor.

"_Hopefully it will make things somewhat interesting,"_ she thought as examined the edge of her knife's blade. It had been awhile since she'd been able to put her fighting skills to use.

About an hour after entering the city, the carriage came to a halt outside of what had once been King Bumi's palace. Moments later, a servant opened the door. "Princess Mai, we have arrived," he announced dutifully.

As she gracefully stepped out into the palace yard, she glanced back at the carriage that had been riding behind hers to see her parents and her baby brother, Tom-Tom. There were soldiers stationed around, and Mai could make out the sight of smoke in the distance—no doubt some parts of the city still burned.

The sound of a throat clearing behind her drew her attention away from the sight. Somewhat irritated, the tall girl let out a huff at her servant's lack of manners. "If you want my attention, you should learn how to address me properly," she said, turning to face the man, only to see her husband standing mere feet from her.

Zuko frowned at her words, and Mai mentally slapped herself. Normally, she always said the right thing—maintained perfect poise. That was not the proper way for her to greet the future Fire Lord, husband or not, even if it had been a mistake.

"I apologize," she recovered. "I didn't realize you would be here in Omashu. I'm glad to see you."

That seemed to placate him, and Zuko stepped forward and drew her into his arms. "In that case, I forgive you." His golden eyes softened a touch as he leaned down to kiss her lips. "It's good to see you again."

"Likewise," she replied, her lips hinting at a smile.

"Let's go inside," he whispered seductively, his warm breath washing over her neck. Mai shivered lightly in response—feeling a mixture of uneasiness and excitement—and she could have sworn she felt his smirk against her ear before taking her by the arm.

"_Well, I wanted things to be more interesting, didn't I?"_ Mai thought to herself as Zuko led her inside the palace.

* * *

"So how long have you been here in Omashu?" Mai asked her husband who lay beside her on the bed, her fingers tracing absent patterns against his bare torso.

"Liu Xing and I arrived two days ago," Zuko replied, his eyes closed, contently taking in his wife's affections.

Mai raised her eyebrows slightly, wondering why Zuko's childhood friend was with him. And for that matter, why she hadn't seen him. "Where is Liu Xing anyway?"

"Where do you think he is?" Zuko asked with a roll of his eyes.

Mai chuckled. "I guess some things haven't changed."

Silence fell for a moment before she spoke again. "So are you going to tell me why you're here?" she asked. She knew Zuko well enough that this wasn't just a social visit. Everything the royal family did had purpose.

"I thought it would be best to just meet you here instead of sending for you. That way we wouldn't waste any time."

Mai looked at Zuko curiously, wondering just what it was that Zuko expected her to do. "Waste any time to do what?"

"I'm hunting the Avatar," Zuko said, turning to look in her eyes—his gaze burning into her own.

Mai's hand stilled, her eyes widening ever so slightly. "What about Azula?"

"What about her?" Zuko asked indignantly.

"Isn't she trying to capture the Avatar as well?"

"It wouldn't matter if she did," he replied with a scowl.

"What are you saying?" She drew her hand away and sat up on the bed, trying her best to keep her growing unease from showing. Zuko followed suit, but his body was now filled with obvious anger and tension—the pleasant mood from earlier completely evaporated.

"There is _nothing_ Azula can do to regain her honor," he growled, his eyes narrowed. "She's a traitor."

Mai was honestly alarmed now. "What are you talking about? Azula would never betray our country. She loves the Fire Nation."

"Stop questioning me!"

Mai's eyes narrowed into slits, but she did as he said and shut her mouth.

There was tense silence for a moment. Mai pointedly avoided looking at her husband as she began to get dressed.

Finally, after his anger subsided a bit, Zuko spoke. "This isn't how I wanted things to start off," he said petulantly, causing Mai to finally look at him again. He looked very young for a moment, Mai thought—more like the sixteen-year-old boy he actually was.

"Zuko, just tell me what happened with Azula. Then I promise I won't bring it up again." She knew that he hated the fact that she still cared about Azula at all. It had been the one of the only contentious aspects of their relationship, but it wasn't something that came up very often since Azula's banishment. _"Out of sight, out of conversation, but never out of mind."_

"Fine," he grumbled. "She attacked me at the North Pole while I was taking the Avatar into custody. As a result, he got away. She was arrested for treason and thrown into my ship's brig. Ty Lee helped her escape when we stopped at Wendu harbor. They're both wanted—dead or alive."

His golden eyes held a mix of danger—warning her not to say anything in their defense—and insecurity—hoping that _no_ part of her secretly sided with them. Mai did her best to keep her face stoic, but inside she was burning up. These were her best friends.

It just didn't make sense. She couldn't see Azula betraying the Fire Nation, ever. She knew that Zuko had wanted her all to himself, but would he go so far as to lie about this?

No, she decided. He was telling her the truth.

She imagined Azula must have been desperate, and she knew Ty Lee was fiercely loyal to the princess. Did they deserve to die for that? Mai realized with no small amount of anger that it didn't matter if she thought they did or not. The only one who could decide that was Fire Lord Ozai, and she knew that he would never budge. Therefore, neither would Zuko. Mai knew that his reasons for wanting his own sister gone were completely tied up in their father—wanting to maintain Ozai's favor.

It was cowardly of him. Then again, she knew she wasn't much better. She went along with everything he did, all for the sake of politics. Well, that wasn't entirely true. For some reason, she actually did care for Zuko. She just wished he wasn't so cruel.

"_I sometimes hate that I love him."_

She could only hope that her friends would continue to evade the Fire Nation, even if they were traitors.

* * *

It had been a long day, but Azula knew they had made good time despite going on foot for all of it. At first she had considered selling their stolen ostrich horse since they all couldn't ride on it, but Smellerbee pointed out that it would be useful for carrying their supplies. So while they traveled at a slower pace, it wasn't as grueling. Jet figured they would be in Ba Sing Se in a few weeks.

Azula hoped they would be able to keep up their ruse until then. Fortunately, Jet and Smellerbee had been content to do most of the talking so far—Longshot never spoke at all, yet his friends had no trouble knowing what he was thinking—but Azula knew it was only a matter of time before she and Ty Lee would have to start sharing something that wasn't superficial about themselves. She wasn't too worried about it, knowing that if they just kept their answers to a minimum, they wouldn't have to outright lie to them too much. And if Longshot was any indication, Jet and Smellerbee didn't seem like the type to pry if it was unwanted.

In any event, she was glad they had stopped for the day. While she was in excellent shape, she wasn't used to walking quite so much. After setting up camp, dinner was brought out quickly—they ate the rest of the turkey duck Longshot had caught for their lunch earlier that day. Their meal was finished in companionable silence.

"I'm really glad you guys decided to travel with us," Jet said after they finished eating, flashing a flirtatious smile at Ty Lee, which the girl easily returned. It wasn't the first time they had shared a look like that today, and Azula found that it bothered her.

"We're really glad too," Ty Lee replied, smiling as Jet moved to sit beside the acrobat at the fire.

"You said you were going to show us some more of your moves tonight," he murmured, leaning closer to her.

"_Ugh, disgusting!"_ Azula thought, not missing Jet's double meaning. Smellerbee and Longshot didn't seem the least bit phased, and Ty Lee clearly loved the attention.

The acrobat giggled. "We'll see."

"I'm going to brush down the ostrich horse," Azula said suddenly, abruptly standing up and walking to the outskirts of their campsite, where they had their animal tethered to a tree.

Ty Lee frowned, watching her as she went. She noticed a subtle change in Azula's aura. She was hoping that traveling with the freedom fighters would start to lift the girl's spirits a bit, but the muddy green in her aura indicated that something was up—something different from what normally plagued her friend.

"I'll be right back," Ty Lee said to her new companions, never taking her eyes off Azula as she got up to follow the firebender.

The three freedom fighters watched her go with genuine concern. "What do you think that was about?" Smellerbee asked.

Longshot stared at them like the answer should have been obvious. Jet's eyes widened in surprise at the realization. "No way."

"Is everything okay?" Ty Lee asked quietly once she reached Azula.

"Everything's fine," she replied coolly, keeping her focus on the task of brushing the ostrich horse.

"I can tell that something's bothering you."

"Something's always bothering me."

Ty Lee sighed. "This is different. I've never seen your aura this color before."

Azula rolled her eyes. "You know I don't believe in auras."

"Fine," she replied, still determined. "I've never seen you act like this before. What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Azula growled, losing some of her control. She didn't feel like explaining it to Ty Lee because she didn't even understand why she was feeling this way.

She knew she was being irrational, so there was no reason to talk about it.

Ty Lee continued to look at her expectantly.

"There's nothing to talk about. Just go back and show off to Jet."

Gray eyes widened a bit as she realized what was going with the girl. "Is that what this is about? Azula, are you jealous?"

"No," she lied, still keeping her eyes trained on her animal's fur coat as she continued to run the brush through it.

"Azula, look at me." Ty Lee grabbed Azula's arms, forcing the girl to pause in her task, and turned the firebender's body to face hers. Their eyes locked, and the acrobat tightened her grip, trying to convey the seriousness of what she was about to say. "You know that you always come first, right? You're my best friend. No one will ever come between us."

It was exactly what Azula needed to hear. She still didn't know who she was jealous of or why, but knowing that nothing would come between the two of them helped to put her at ease. When everything else seemed so unstable, Ty Lee was her one constant.

The acrobat wrapped her arms around Azula in a brief hug before pulling back and smiling. "So are you ready to come back and sit with us?"

Azula offered her a small smile of her own and nodded.

Ty Lee beamed at the girl before they turned to head back to where the others were still sitting around the campfire.

As they approached, Jet got up to stand. "Hey, Ruka, can I talk to you for a minute?" he asked, gesturing with his head toward the edge of the clearing.

"I suppose," Azula replied, following him.

"Listen, I'm sorry about before," he said once they were out of earshot from the rest of the group. "I didn't mean to butt in on your territory."

Azula slightly furrowed her brow in confusion, but before she could ask him what he was talking about, he continued on.

"I don't want to come between you and Yinji. If we're going to stick together out here, we need to be able to trust each other. I want you to know that you can trust me, Ruka."

Azula swallowed, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable with this conversation. For starters, she didn't know how to deal with the fact that someone she hardly knew was attempting to have a heart-to-heart with her. And while she was relieved that Jet was going to back off Ty Lee, she wasn't exactly sure how she felt about what she thought he was implying.

Then there was the whole trust issue that Jet spoke of. Azula felt that she was a trustworthy person, but she was lying about her own identity. It was all very confusing, and left her feeling more than a little guilty.

"Thank you," she replied a bit uneasily.

He smiled crookedly at her. "You're not much for talking, are you? That's okay. I'm used to it with Longshot. But you can talk to us, if you want to."

And there was her out. "I appreciate it, but like you said, I'm not much for talking."

"Alright then," he replied with a chuckle. "So we're good?"

Azula nodded.

"Good." Satisfied, Jet turned to rejoin their group. Azula stared at his back for a moment before shaking her head and walking behind him.

She had a lot to think about.


End file.
